


The Set-Up

by SLynn



Series: Recruitment [12]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Continuing Fallout, Developing Relationship, Developing Story, Established Relationship, Gen, Middle Piece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-22
Updated: 2013-08-26
Packaged: 2017-12-21 01:17:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/894087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLynn/pseuds/SLynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three months after Clint Barton's death and what remains of the Avengers is still struggling to make sense of it all as the threat to SHIELD, and to them all, looms larger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"What is taking so long?" Darcy whined as she stood up for the fifth or sixth time, craning her neck to see out to the newly restructured landing pad. "I'm exhausted. It's way past my bedtime."

"Five more minutes," Maria assured her as she stifled a yawn of her own.

"You said that five minutes ago."

"Darcy, we can only tell you what we've been told," Pepper sighed.

"I know," Darcy said, bringing her tone back to a semi-respectful level. Pepper was her direct boss and she didn't mean to snap at her, but it had been a long, long week. Which had been preceded by a few very long months. "It's just... when are they going to take a break? It would be nice to sleep past seven and be in bed before midnight every so often. Go on vacation. Something."

"They've been..." Pepper said, shaking her head and meeting Maria's gaze.

"There's been a lot of activity," Maria agreed with a crisp nod.

It was true.

There had been so much activity that, even though she was now technically assigned to the New York office, Maria's duties with the Avengers had yet to come to an end.

"Here they are," Pepper said as the landing lights came into view.

"Finally," Darcy groaned.

All three women rose to their feet at roughly the same time and moved closer to the window, watching as the jet landed.

The jet was new, too.

Tony had decided the Avengers needed their own jet, independent of SHIELD, and had one designed and built in no time. It was smaller and more maneuverable than the Quinjet had been. The drawback was that only Agent Morse was qualified to fly it. Tony and Steve were both working on resolving that issue, but there really had not been a spare moment to get it done.

When no one immediately got off the jet after it had shut down, Pepper and Maria exchanged another look, this one darker than the last.

"Could it really have gone that bad?" Darcy asked no one in particular.

They all knew the answer was yes.

Tony and Steve were butting heads more and more frequently. The problem had nothing to do with a lack of respect or consideration, it went a little deeper than that. The problem was that Steve and Tony were both leaders. With a larger team, that had worked well. Now it was essentially the two of them, with only an occasional assist from Morse or Bruce. Morse had been ordered to sit out of the action, despite proving to be quite capable, and Bruce was devoting all his time to assisting Natasha. It was difficult. Couple that with the fact that they'd had less and less down time and it was becoming more than difficult and more like impossible.

"Here we go," Pepper muttered as Morse left the jet looking exhausted.

She pushed open the door and went straight for the couch, pulling off her gloves and looking up at the others, shaking her head.

"So, Bobbi," Darcy said, trying to sound natural. "How's things?"

"About usual," she answered, rubbing the fatigue from her eyes. Darcy always hoped to get a rise out of her by using her first name, but she never managed to succeed.

"I've already filled out the report," Maria said, all business. "It just needs signatures and --"

"We'll probably need to amend it," Morse interrupted.

"You haven't even read it yet," Maria said tightly, her eyes back on her tablet.

"I know," Morse sighed, "but... I may have left some things out. Nothing major," she said seeing the looks Pepper and Maria were giving her. "Just something Rogers thought wasn't worth mentioning over the comms."

"Oh," Darcy said with a slightly startled gasp, drawing the attention away from Morse as she rushed forward to hold the door. "I've got it."

"Thanks," Steve said, his stance and pace immediately setting off alarm bells for all of them. "Let's wrap this up and --"

"No," Tony interrupted, already out of his suit and looking strained. "That can wait. Get to the infirmary and get that looked at."

"Five more minutes isn't going to hurt," Steve stated with only a bit of irritation. "Let's get this wrapped up and official and call it a night."

Tony seemed as if he wanted to argue it further, but with another look at Steve, who looked determined enough to fight, he agreed. Steve had been refusing treatment for the entirety of the flight because...

"The report needs to be amended to include any and all injuries," Morse sighed, getting back to her feet. "You know the drill."

"For SHIELD agents," Steve said, folding his arms over his chest and standing firm. He didn't like them documenting and cataloging every cut and scratch they received in the field. Ever since their last tangle with medical, Steve didn't like them knowing more about him than was strictly necessary.

Honestly, Tony felt the same, but Steve was a lot more injured than he'd been letting on. It was time to stop delaying treatment and being so damn stubborn.

"And for representatives of SHIELD," Morse added as if she'd been having this same discussion for several hours. Which, she probably had been having for hours. Likely the whole duration of the flight. "Which includes yourself and Mr. Stark. Hill, back me up here."

Tony, Darcy and Morse all looked directly at Maria.

Pepper and Steve casually looked away.

Maria was with growing frequency being called upon to mediate between Agent Morse and the Avengers. It wasn't a comfortable spot, and she was thankful it was really only Tony and Morse who called upon her to do so, but it was never easy.

Giving Steve a once over, she shrugged at Morse before she declared, "If he's standing, he's fine."

"Of course," Morse returned, as if she knew how that would play out. As if she'd been testing Maria, which she probably had been. She walked over and held out her hand to the other agent, silently asking for the report and signing it without hesitation with the stylus.

"You're not going to read it?" Maria asked pointedly.

"I trust you," the other woman smiled in return. "And I'm tired. No one call me unless the world's about to end," she said, heading for the door without a single look back. "Even then, only as a last resort."

As soon as she was out of the room, Steve made the small concession of leaning on the nearest arm chair. He looked tired and in pain; he finally felt comfortable enough to allow himself to show it.

"Bruce in?" Tony asked, giving Steve a half-worried glance.

"It's a graze," Steve said, back on his feet and ready to argue again. "With a little help, I can patch it up myself. Don't bother Bruce."

"I know first aid," Darcy volunteered with a mildly suggestive leer. She liked to flirt with Steve, because he simply did not know how to handle it. It was cute.

"I'm sure Agent Hill can take care of this," Pepper said, still careful not to look directly at either of them; just a hint of a smile on her face.

"Yeah," Maria said, trying to ignore what was obviously going through the other woman's mind. "Whenever you'd like."

"Okay," Steve said, not stupid enough to keep arguing, and heading with her towards the elevator.

They didn't look back and the ride to the infirmary was completely silent, and maybe only a little awkward. It would have probably been a lot awkward, but Steve really was in pain. Maria had not noticed at first, but he was wearing his jacket despite the mild weather. Now that she did see it, see him, it was an obvious attempt to hide something more than just fatigue and a simple graze.

"Okay," Maria said once they'd arrived, motioning for him to take a seat.

Steve shrugged off his jacket, he'd already removed his gloves and cowl before leaving the jet, and hopped up onto the table so that they were, more or less, eye-to-eye.

"That..." Maria began, shaking her head and looking shocked. "That's bad, Steve. That looks... I can't believe I'm about to say this, and you can in no way repeat it but, Stark was right. You should have had this looked at sooner."

His suit was torn and burnt on his left side. It was ripped enough so that skin was exposed, and Maria knew what kind of force that had taken. Their suits were tough and designed to be durable. The skin she could see underneath was raw and red; some parts looked blistered.

"If I'd done that Morse would have landed on the Helicarrier instead of here. She'd have taken me straight to medical and..."

"No, I understand why," Maria admitted. 

Since Barton, none of them had stepped foot in that section, Maria included. She was certain they'd done everything they could, but she was still angry about the aftermath. She was angry at their flat out refusal to wait to follow protocol. The rest of his team should have been allowed to see Barton and to grieve. As it turned out they'd barely allowed Pepper back into the room along with Maria in the immediate aftermath, and even that had been brief.

"What do you think?" Steve asked, straining to see but the worst part was mostly on his back.

"I think... I think you're going to need to lose the top," Maria said, her eyes darting down as she realized she was practically demanding that Steve strip.

"Oh, yeah. Sure," he said, moving to pull the shirt off but momentarily stuck. "Can I get a little help, please?"

Maria just nodded and did her best not to injury Steve further as she lent him a hand. She immediately put her eyes on the injury, anxious to avoid catching his eye if she could. 

It really looked bad.

"What happened? What... what did this?" she asked, stepping back to retrieve some gauze and burn ointment.

"Is it bad if I can't remember?"

"Should I be checking you for a concussion?" she asked with a completely straight face, but he could see the amusement in her eyes.

"No," he said, shaking his head with a small smile. "No, I'm sure... I'm not confused or having memory lapses. I didn't hit my head. I just... there was so much going on. I think it was a laser of some kind but it could have been the fire-breathing hyenas."

"Who has fire-breathing hyenas?" Maria asked, moving in close enough to start cleaning the area.

"Um," Steve said, breathing out the word in a hiss.

"Sorry."

"It's fine," he assured her, the sting already gone. "That guy did. Whoever he was. Did we ever find out who he was?"

"Morse probably did."

"You still don't like her."

"Do you?" she asked, her eyes finally meeting his, and immediately wished she hadn't. It sounded petty and childish. It sounded jealous. Maria hated sounding that way but Morse brought out the worst in her. 

When Steve didn't immediately answer, only watched her for a moment, Maria felt the air get thin and tried to shake that feeling off immediately. That was not a good idea. That was not a path they could go down. They both knew that and had been very clear on the subject; she'd been very clear on the subject. But, not for the first time, Maria wished Steve was a little less... everything.

"She's..." he said, clearly not certain how to finish that thought at first. "Intense. She's a little intense."

"Intense is bad?" Maria asked her brows knitted together as she started to apply the ointment and now certain she couldn't look back into his eyes again.

"No, it's not bad. Lots of people are intense and it's fine. I don't mind... Um..."

Maria nodded and kept her eyes down as she put the bandage in place. Finally finished.

"It's okay if you like her," she said after a long pause, not moving out of his space but not looking at him either. "I don't expect you to hate her. I don't hate her."

"You don't?"

"Does it seem like I do?" she asked curiously.

"Yes," he returned with a smile.

"I don't," she repeated, maybe even smiling a little herself. "Everyone always seems to think I hate everyone. And I don't, I just... I don't warm to people. And Morse..."

"I don't know what to think of her either, to be honest," he admitted, understanding where she was going. "It feels like she's playing a part. Like... Well, like we all are. I can't say she's with us, but I'm not certain she's against us either."

"It's exhausting," she sighed.

"I know," he agreed. "I'm sorry you have to keep doing this. You know Fury was trying to protect you when he moved you off the Helicarrier and out of that job."

"I know he was and it still pisses me off."

"I'm glad he did it."

"I don't need protection."

"Maria," he said seriously, "something big is happening. Something is changing and... and I wish you weren't so closely involved. I'm worried for you."

"Steve, I've been taking care of myself for a very long time. I'm good at it."

"You might be but... I want... That doesn't mean I don't..." he said, stumbling over his words as the tips of his ears began to flush red. "I worry."

"I don't think I'm a threat to anyone," Maria said with reluctance, hating to admit what was probably true. "Not enough to be a target, anyway. Especially not now. I'm so far out of the loop..." Steve fixed her with a look that she read far too easily. It was clear he was thinking the same thing she was, that being out of the loop hadn't stopped whoever it was from murdering Clint. "It's not the same," she stated in a tone that invited no further discussion.

"No, it's not," Steve said, but it wasn't in agreement.

"I'm being careful. I'm keeping my head down and I'm not making waves. Honestly, I spend most of my time here," she reasoned, but he still didn't look pacified. "Look, Barton was paranoid, with reason, and he was cautious and careful, and they hit him where he wasn't expecting them to. Same with Romanoff. I'm not faulting either of them but they have no way in with me. Whoever it is out there, they won't attack directly and there's nothing in my life but this job for them to attack me with. There's no one or thing they can use to get to me but this job, and Fury took care of that part. Until they grow a pair and start moving in for real, I'm safe."

Before Steve could respond the elevator dinged, announcing a new arrival to the floor, and a moment later Bruce walked towards them looking half asleep. He was still in his pajama bottoms and wearing a t-shirt, his feet bare and his hair ruffled.

"Sorry," he yawned as he came into the room, giving them both half a glance with a semi-amused smile.

"Tell me Tony didn't wake you up," Steve sighed. 

"No," Bruce assured them both, stifling down another yawn. "JARVIS did. I asked him to get me whenever anyone came into the infirmary needing help. Guess that one has a few kinks to work out since you seem to be all done here."

It was then that Maria realized how close she'd been standing to Steve, despite the fact that she'd finished bandaging him up already. As casually as she could she stepped away. Bruce's eyes went to hers, briefly and still amused, but he didn't comment on it.

"Sorry you got out of bed for nothing," Steve said, sliding off the table and pulling his undershirt back on with more ease than before. "You should ask JARVIS to check ahead next time so you don't waste a trip."

"He didn't?" Bruce asked, a little confused. "JARVIS," he called up to the AI. "I thought you asked."

_"I'm sorry, Dr. Banner. Normally, I would have, but Ms. Potts instructed me to leave Captain Rogers and Agent Hill alone."_

Maria bit her lip and nodded tightly as Bruce tried not to laugh and Steve looked clearly puzzled.

"It's late," she said after a beat. "I've got a oh-six-hundred brief and a hellish commute across town so..." she said, trailing off. "Goodnight, gentlemen."

Maria left so quickly that it wasn't until she was gone that Steve even thought about walking her out.

"What was that about?" he asked, still confused as he turned his attention back to Bruce.

"You should probably talk to Pepper."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't say this before, but let me say it now. Thank you! I love feedback. I love talking canon. I love hearing everything. I also really love those of you who have and continue to stick with me through this massive series, which honest to goodness (as Tripp my beta) was only meant to be like three stories to begin with. Thank you all! Enjoy!

The next day should have been a late start for everyone, but no one had the time or the inclination to sleep in.

Bruce made it into the shared kitchen just as Steve was finishing his own breakfast. Darcy was there as well, perched on a stool near the counter and painting her toes. 

"Morning," he said heading straight for oven to start a fresh kettle of water to boil.

"Hey," Darcy returned, setting down her polish and picking up a notepad and pen. "I'm making a shop run later. Need anything?"

"No," he said and then immediately changed his mind. "Yes, actually. Those honey stick things? Honey straws? Is that what they're called?"

"Pretty sure that name is interchangeable," she answered.

Bruce nodded and opened up the nearest cabinet, taking out the empty box. "You know what I mean then," he said with a smile. "We're out."

"Got it," she answered. "Sticks O'Honey are on the list. Anything else?"

"Nope, that should do it. Thanks."

"Steve?" Darcy asked, turning and waiting.

"I'm good, thank you."

"You look exhausted," Bruce said giving him a onceover. "Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

"Some," he said as he rubbed his eyes.

"Nothing wrong, is there?" the other man said, having finished making his tea and taking a seat directly across from Steve.

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and gave his head a shake. "No," he said, the word dragging out slow from his mouth. "I guess I'm just having a hard time shutting down. At the end of the day I can't tune it out anymore. It'll pass."

Before Bruce could offer any advice, Tony came striding into the room.

"Coffee," he said as he took out a mug and poured a cupful.

"Good morning to you, too," Darcy returned, having gone back to work on her toes. "Need anything from the store?"

"Yes, coffee," he answered as if she should have known.

"We have coffee," Darcy said. "It's that stuff in your hand. Got a whole cabinet full of it."

"Yeah, but this is awful," Tony said after he leaned into the counter and took a long pull from the mug. "This should be ashamed to call itself coffee. It is a poor substitute. It's a disgrace. This is the crap college kids drink because they don't have money."

"Well, hello?"

Tony gave her a curious look and then shrugged. "Oh yeah. Well, get something better next time. Splurge."

"What happened to your arm?" Steve asked suddenly.

"Nothing," Tony dismissed, shifting his body against the counter and facing Steve and Bruce directly.

"It looks pretty banged up," Bruce said, seeing what Steve was seeing and looking concerned.

"Unbelievable," Steve sighed. 

"It's bruised, not broken," Tony said, giving up and showing them the worst of it. His arm was a mass of deep purple, just high enough above his elbow so that most of it was hidden by his shirt. "And it hardly even hurts. Suit took most of the damage. Which reminds me, I need to fix that first thing before whatever monstrosity of the week strikes next."

"Is that why you were trying to rush me off to the infirmary?" Steve asked. "To hide your own injury?"

"No," Tony said, less than convincingly. "Yours was worse. Bleeding trumps bruised, every time."

"Don't do that again, Tony," Steve said, giving up and shaking his head. 

"You both need to take a break," Bruce intoned. 

"That's what I've been saying," Darcy added with an eye roll for emphasis.

"How are things going for you?" Tony asked Bruce, happy to change the conversation and redirect the attention. "How's Natasha doing?"

"I'm heading over in about an hour," Bruce said with a shake of his head. "She's doing okay."

"Still won't leave?" Steve asked with concern.

"No. Not until she's sure she won't be triggered again but..."

"How can she ever be certain," Steve finished for him.

"Exactly," Bruce sighed. "If we knew what it was then maybe we could take steps to prevent it happening again, but there are too many variables. Even if we had the one trigger that caused this we might be able to help her recognize the feelings it evokes. It might help her prepare."

"I've tried," Tony said with an exhausted sigh. "I can give it another shot but she wrecked that SIM card. She really can't remember it? Not even a little bit?"

"She remembers it was a picture but..."

"Are we sure we want her to see it again?" Steve asked seriously. "Even if you can fix it and pull the image; is that a good idea?"

"I don't think it would cause another reaction," Bruce answered after giving it some thought. "But to be safe, I'd have to be the one to show her." 'And convince her', he added silently. Natasha was not keen on the idea.

"Okay, well... that will be number two on the list today," Tony said, slapping his hand against the table before getting to his feet. "Work the kinks out of the suit and then get you that picture."

"Thanks, Tony," Bruce said, getting up as well. "I'm going to head off now. I want to be gone before Agent Morse gets here. She's been asking a lot of questions and I'd rather not today."

"About Natasha?" Steve inquired.

Bruce nodded and Tony said, "Better hurry. She's usually here before nine."

He almost made it outside, but as he reached the main lobby doors, Morse was on her way inside.

"Dr. Banner," she said with a smile. "Do you have a moment?"

"I'm kind of in a hurry, Agent Morse," he said, but was too polite not to stop.

"Just a moment," she assured him, motioning towards the chairs. "I promise." With reluctance, he followed, but Bruce didn't sit. Taking his cue, she also remained on her feet before continuing, "I'd like an update on your progress with Agent Romanoff."

"I've sent you reports. Actually, I sent you one yesterday."

"Yes, well, if I wanted her vitals I would ask medical. I'm more interested in her mental state."

"I'm not a psychiatrist."

"But you are the only one she's talking to," Morse countered. "And surely you've been around enough unstable personalities to recognize one if you saw another."

"Are you asking me if I think she's unstable?" Bruce asked, deciding to play dumb.

"Do you?"

"I think she's in a very difficult situation."

"So you believe this was unintentional. That she wasn't acting of her own free will," she stated.

"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head, "didn't you tell us about the Red Rooms?"

"Yes, and I shared all of my information with you."

"But you don't think she was triggered? I'm just... I'm not sure what you're getting at here, Agent," Bruce finished with a near scowl.

Morse dropped her eyes and sighed. She looked exhausted, just like the rest of them. But with Morse it seemed to go a little deeper.

"I am trying to be thorough," Morse finally said.

Bruce considered it for a moment.

"My opinion is that she is not faking this in any way," he said, willing to give a little in order to see what he'd get in return. "She is truly sorry and full of remorse and regret."

"You believe that?" she asked, but it wasn't harsh; it was almost hopeful. "After everything you read, after all the files I sent you about the Red Rooms... You really believe that she's capable of those emotions?"

"I do."

Morse looked him in the eyes for a long moment and then nodded.

"Okay," she said. "Please understand, Dr. Banner, I don't know Agent Romanoff. I barely knew Agent Barton. I just know what's in their files. I know their pasts. I'm trying to get this right."

"Get what right?"

Morse fixed him with another look and smiled again. "Maybe later, Dr. Banner. I don't want to keep you."

Bruce watched her walk off towards the elevator with no small amount of confusion, but let it go. He was running late and Natasha was hopefully expecting him.

Tony always had a car service ready for them to use and it didn't take long to arrive at the Helicarrier. Bruce had all the proper credentials, courtesy of Director Fury, and made his way easily to the correct level.

"Good morning, Dr. Banner," the young agent behind the glassed in reception desk said as he buzzed open the door. "Agent Romanoff is expecting you."

"Thank you, Agent West."

As promised, Natasha was already awake and dressed, sitting on her bed with her back propped against the wall. The cell, Bruce could never bring himself to call it a room, wasn't very large, but it was a fair size. It afforded a single bed, dresser, a desk and chair along with a small bookshelf. She didn't have a lot of things in it, a few changes of clothes, a few books. Pepper had insisted on sending her a good set of sheets and blankets. Tony had fixed her music box. And even if Natasha hadn't thanked either of them, she had kept the items.

In three months, Natasha herself had changed. 

Her hair had grown out past her shoulders and was darker than before. In contrast, she was paler than ever. Quieter, too.

"Morning," he said as he came into the cell, pulling the chair out from the desk and turning it to face her. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine."

"Just fine? I slept like crap."

"It's quiet here," she went on with a shrug. "Makes it easy to doze but... I can't sleep through the night. I'm bored and restless. I'm full of energy but I don't want to do anything."

"That's normal, Tasha. We've talked about this. You're depressed."

"Shouldn't I be?"

"Yes," he said with a short nod. "That's natural."

"Not for me."

"Maybe not before but..."

"What are we doing here?" she asked, suddenly a lot more serious than she had been. "What are we accomplishing? I've told you, there's nothing you can do to fix me. It can't be undone. I can't be made safe."

"And I told you that I think you can."

"How?"

"First, you need to recognize how the triggers make you feel."

"They make me feel homicidal," she answered flatly.

"No," he gently argued. "That's not what you told me or Steve. You said they made you afraid."

"It doesn't matter," she said with a brutal shake of her head not wanting to remember it if at all possible.

"It will if we can get our hands on one of these triggers."

"But we can't."

"Tony is working on it," Bruce answered to see how she'd react. "He's going to try and fix the card again and pull the image."

"No."

"Natasha."

"I don't want to see it," she bit back at him. It was bad enough, not getting to see Clint again. Worse still, what she'd done and how it had happened. Her last moments with him had been brutal and terrifying. She was worried that image might bring it all rushing back to her with too much clarity.

"Even if it helps?" Bruce asked after a moment. "Even if it lets you move on? Helps you understand what's happening and why?"

Natasha stared at him for a long minute as if considering his words. Wondering if she could move on.

"Can he do it?" she finally asked.

"Tony thinks he can."

"Tony thinks he can do anything," she replied, and for a half a second she was like her old self again, but the moment faded fast. "If he does it then I'll consider it, but with guidelines. My rules. It happens my way or it doesn't happen."

"I won't have you restrained."

"Then..." she said, taking a look around the room, "Then isolated. At least that."

"Just you and I," he assured her.

"If," she repeated harshly.

"When," he corrected. "When Tony gets that picture." Natasha didn't reply and began to look apprehensive. "You remember why you're doing this?" Bruce asked.

"I do."

"So?"

"Okay."


	3. Chapter 3

"You're serious, aren't you?" Pepper said with a laugh.

"I am," Tony answered. He'd already finished with the suit and was still trying to make the damn SIM card work. It was being a stubborn piece of crap.

"I'm not pushing," she said with halting words. "Not really. They're practically dating without my help."

"So you just asked JARVIS to not disturb them because..."

"Okay," she admitted. "That might have been a tad sneaky, but come on, Tony. Tell me you wouldn't do the same? That you haven't? You're a bad influence."

"Apparently," he said with a grin. "But, seriously Potts, back off. Let them handle it in the slow and awkward way as to which they are accustomed. You're making Steve jumpy. And Hill is starting to glower more than usual. Which... really? You really think that's a thing?"

"Yes. Don't you?"

"I thought... maybe," Tony admitted with some reluctance, "but Bruce said --"

"Bruce lies, Tony," Pepper laughed. "And he is very good at it. He probably didn't want you messing it up."

"First," he said, after he'd finished some of the more delicate work he'd been performing, "I do not mess things up. That's just not true or fair. If anything I bring people together. I'm a people pleaser. Second, Bruce doesn't lie. You lie. You are lying right now. And third, Steve has asked me to ask you to stop. So, stop. Please. Before I'm forced to pass notes under the table at dinnertime."

"Why didn't he ask me himself?" she asked with a laugh.

"He didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"That was sweet of him."

"So you'll stop interfering in his love life?"

"When he asks her out I will."

"What, are they supposed to date?" Tony laughed, his eyes still on the project at hand. "How would that work? Where would they go? To the gun range? To the soda fountain? How would that even happen?"

"It could happen."

"You need a hobby," Tony said with a smirk.

"I've got plenty to do, thank you very much."

"I would think so but..." Tony started, but trailed off as he concentrated harder on the work at hand.

"What is it?" Pepper asked, leaning in closer to see what Tony had discovered.

Tony didn't answer her immediately, just swiveled on his stool and began to rapidly type on the terminal the card was hooked to. 

"I got it," he said after a few moments of intense silence.

He looked at Pepper and smiled. Relieved and a little anxious. Unsure of what his next step should be but ultimately deciding a quick peek wouldn't hurt. He was still going to show everyone else, but if he saw it first, at least he could warn them if need be.

"Do you want a look?" he asked.

Pepper appeared hesitant, but finally nodded. Pulling up a stool next to his own, she waited, both of them facing the display screen as he opened the file.

"Oh my God," Pepper said, bringing her hand up to her mouth and staring at the image.

"You're not feeling the need to stab me, are you?"

"That's not funny."

"No, it's not," Tony agreed solemnly. He was just shocked. "Holy shit. What is this?"

"Do you think it's real?" Pepper asked in a quiet voice.

"I don't know," he admitted, "but it's making more sense to me now. I always wondered why Clint didn't notice Natasha was basically losing her mind right beside him. But this..."

"He was probably too focused on what this meant to catch her reaction," she agreed.

"They were close," Tony stated, knowing it was true. Everyone who knew Clint knew he'd been close to Agent Coulson. Seeing him alive again after believing he'd caused his death would be traumatic. It also went a long way towards explaining why Clint hadn't just gone to them all. Likely he'd wanted Natasha's opinion first.

Someone wouldn't have had to have known Clint very well to guess at that part, but they'd have to have more than a basic knowledge of how the two of them had operated. They'd have to have been on the inside, something they'd all assumed.

"That's enough," Pepper said, pulling her eyes away and getting to her feet.

Tony agreed and clicked the picture shut on the monitor.

His day got infinitely longer.

Tony wanted to wait until they were all around and, more specifically, Morse was not. He only wanted to go through this once and waiting was difficult.

The afternoon passed slowly. Dinner felt eternal. For some reason Morse decided to stick around for the meal and Hill had tried to bolt. Tony got the feeling Morse knew something was up, but that could just be him being paranoid. And he knew, given Pepper's recent matchmaking attempts, Maria simply hadn't wanted to fan the flames.

It had been tricky, but between Tony and Pepper, they'd managed to not only get Morse out of the Tower relatively early in the evening but also keep Maria in place.

As soon as JARVIS informed Tony that Agent Morse had left the building, he got to his feet and clapped his hands together startling most of the group still left gathered in the lounge.

"Okay, everyone up. Let's go."

"Go where?" Steve asked as he got to his feet almost instinctively.

"Conference time," Tony said as he moved rapidly to the elevator. He positively could not wait another single second.

"Me too?" Darcy asked, clearly confused.

"No," Tony decided. "No, I don't think so."

"No," Pepper agreed. "We'll stay."

"What are you up to, Stark?" Maria asked as she followed, carefully picking her spot on the far side of the elevator, away from Steve.

"I fixed the card," he said, as calmly as he could, as the elevator rushed to the correct floor. "Got it working this afternoon and got some interesting things out of it. Thought was should talk it over someplace private."

The conference room had been updated since the last time they'd really used it. They all now, more or less, had claimed specific chairs as their own. Tony had added card readers, for their Avenger IDs, that they could use as an electronic attendance record and also displayed the holder's name on the table; it was mostly for show as they all knew one another, but it looked nice. It also activated the individual computer screen in the table in front of each chair. As a final touch, Tony had one of Barton's bows, a rather nice looking recurve that was a deep purple, mounted on the wall in what he hoped would be the last memorial they'd need to make.

His eyes darted to it when he entered the room. They always did.

"Didn't get much off of it," Tony said as he began to pull up the information. "The text messages Barton had told us about were all there and almost exactly as he said they would be. I took a chance and traced the number they were coming from but it was a dead end."

"Did we ever find out how his brother even got that number?" Bruce asked.

"It was Barton's back-up cell," Maria answered, checking her own communicator and turning it off as she sat. "It was on file but under restricted access. Someone fairly high up the chain had to have given it to him or to his then employers."

"Have they found him yet?" Steve asked.

"No. Or if they know where he's at, that information has been suppressed," she answered. "Given what I was able to dig up on Barney Barton, he probably fled back to South America. He's knowledgeable with that part of the world and the languages and it's where he spent a lot of his time over past ten years."

"What about the trigger?" Bruce asked, anxious to see the image for himself. "You did get it, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"But?" Steve asked, because they could all sense it. Tony wasn't acting like Tony. He was stalling and that was not normal behavior. Steve had half expected the picture to already have been on display in the room when they'd arrived.

"I just want to prepare you for this. I've done some preliminary scans and... and as far as those go this picture is real and unaltered. That doesn't mean... Well, okay, I don't know what that means... Let me just show you it and you can tell me for yourselves."

They'd all gone silent as the image filled the screen.

What could they say?

"It has to be fake," Maria finally voiced what they all instinctively felt, albeit in an abnormally quiet tone.

The photo was both hard to look at and hard to look away from. It wasn't grotesque or even that strange if you really looked. It was just Phil Coulson, alive, awake even, hooked up to an IV and some kind of machine in what could have been any hospital in the country. He didn't look great but it certainly looked like him. 

"Is there a chance it's not him?" Bruce asked after another moment of silence.

"It's possible," Tony admitted with a shrug.

"There are ways of making that happen," Maria agreed. "It's not outside the realm of probability. Not after everything we've seen lately."

"Then it's equally probable that it is Agent Coulson," Bruce surmised.

"No," Maria said with a shake of her head. "No, Agent Coulson died. Director Fury told us that himself."

"He told us that medical called it," Tony said immediately. "And he was cremated, same as --"

"No," Maria snapped. "I know what you're going with that and normally I'd agree. This is damning. This looks... But I was there both times. Pepper was there for the last... Coulson is dead, same as Barton. We both saw it. I had to go back in the room and... They're dead, Tony."

"Let's not confuse the issue," Bruce said, hoping to calm the storm before it arose. "Let's focus on Agent Coulson. Is it in any way possible that he could have been taken from the Helicarrier?"

"In the air? During an attack?"

"After then," Tony amended.

Maria looked conflicted. It was clear she wanted to say no, but her conscious would only let her answer, "Yes."

"Then the same could be said --"

"No," Maria interrupted. "Possible is not the same as likely, and the most likely scenario here is that this is just a man who happens to look a lot like Agent Coulson."

"Because we all have doppelgangers walking around out there," Tony said sarcastically. "Am I right?"

"Quiet," Steve said, but the word barely made it off his lips.

Tony and Maria continued to loudly argue their positions, but Bruce couldn't pay them any mind. 

Steve, who normally would have stepped in by this time and diffused the tension between the two of them, was starting to worry him.

"There's something... wrong," Steve said, but only Bruce heard him.

Steve's eyes slid out of focus.

"Hey!"

Maria, Tony and Steve all turned towards Bruce, surprised by his outburst.

"Are you okay?" he asked Steve.

"I'm fine," he answered, but he didn't look it. "I just... there's something wrong with this picture."

"Yeah," Tony returned. "There's a dead guy in it. But he's not dead."

"Not that."

"Well then... it's got to be the newspaper," Tony said with a shake of his head. "Where the hell did they even find one of those? Do they still make them or was it printed special?"

"No," Steve said angrily. He was so close to seeing it but... "Look at the damn thing. It's wrong. There's something... staged or off..."

"It is staged," Maria said, considerably calmer than before. "The question is who did it?"

"Wait," Steve interrupted. "Just... I've almost...Look here," he said, suddenly animated as he approached the screen. "This is wrong. The focus of the picture should be Agent Coulson," he explained, "but he's not. He's off center. He's in the background. He's an afterthought here."

Tony and Maria exchanged puzzled glances, but Bruce appeared to be following along.

"He's not an afterthought to us," Steve continued off the looks he'd received. "We'd be drawn right to him. He's the only person in the shot. He's someone we know but look... The composition. The composition is all wrong."

"So the person who took this was, unlike you, probably not an art major," Tony said, not getting it.

"If it's a photo that is designed to be a trigger it had to be perfect," Steve said evenly. "Everything would have to be exact. The composition of this photo suggests that Agent Coulson is not the focus. It's the Rule of Thirds. JARVIS, can you superimpose a three by three grid on the image?"

_"Of course, Captain Rogers."_

"Thank you," he said, moving closer and pointing to the screen. "Nine boxes. The Rule of Thirds says the best focal point for a composition is in these four spots where the lines intersect on the..."

"Hashtag," Tony said.

"I was going to say number sign," Steve continued, "but okay. Those four intersections, or along the lines themselves, that's where I'm talking about. Judging by that, the focus of this picture isn't Agent Coulson. Look, even the color scheme suggests... It's this vase, this photo, this machine and this strange shadow here up above Agent Coulson. That's got to be what's crucial to whatever triggered Natasha."

"What is that?" Maria asked, indicating the shadow. "Is it a person?"

"Kind of looks like one," Tony agreed. "JARVIS blow that up, will you?"

_"At once, sir."_

"It does kind of look like a person," Bruce said with a nod. "Hey, JARVIS, do me a favor. Crop those four focal points for me and save them as individual pictures."

_"The images are saved, Dr. Banner."_

"Got a plan?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, I can show those to Tasha first. See if she recognizes them or if they cause any kind of reaction individually before showing her the whole image."

"Good plan."

"Is this really going to help her?" Maria asked, turning to face the three men directly.

"Let's hope so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies to actual art majors, I am clearly not one of you, but I tried!


	4. Chapter 4

"Can we just discuss it as a possibility?" Tony asked as they stepped back off the elevator into the general lounge where Pepper was still waiting, but this time alone.

"It's not a possibility," Maria sighed, before stopping to shut off her communicator which had beeped as soon as she'd turned it back on again.

"Don't you need to take that?" Bruce asked with a smile.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It's nonsense texts. Probably someone's idea of a joke. I've put in a requisition for a new one but that won't be happening any time soon."

"I was saying," Tony said with a smirk.

"What you were saying isn't likely," Maria continued, standing even after Tony and Bruce both took a seat. "All things being equal, the simplest solution is the best bet."

"I am familiar with Occam's razor," Tony sighed.

"Then you have to know that it is far more likely that the man in the image is not Agent Coulson," Maria said and then immediately looked struck as her eyes swung to Pepper.

"I already know," Pepper assured her.

"There really are no secrets here," Maria said with a disbelieving shake of her head.

"Refreshing, right?" Tony asked with a wink.

"I am just saying that the amount of subterfuge involved in a deception of that magnitude is... it's staggering. How would that happen, Tony? How would that work?"

"Admittedly, I don't know," he answered and Maria momentarily looked satisfied.

"Then maybe we need to ask someone who might," Bruce suggested after a brief pause.

"I'm not sure that's a great idea," Steve said as his eyes narrowed in on Bruce before flitting briefly in Maria's direction as if to gauge her reaction.

"Agent Morse," Maria said flatly, her face a near perfect mask of indifference, but the crease in her brow betrayed her to Steve. "You want to involve Agent Morse in this?"

"We might have been selling her short," Bruce said, careful in his word choice. "For the past three months we've been working with her, without incident, and have had no indication that she's informing on us or that she's any more involved than she's already let on."

"She did help us bring in Natasha," Tony added, but it was strictly factual. He wasn't throwing out words with his typical manic glee. He also sensed that they were going to have to tread lightly. Maria's life had been the most changed by recent events and they all knew she wasn't happy about it. "And," he added, because it had to be said, "Director Fury did pick her --"

"I'm aware," Maria cut in harshly but said no more. She understood. Fury had to have some level of trust with Morse or else she had been foisted upon him, upon all of them. However, given the fact that he'd made no indication of such, it was easier to assume the former over the later.

"I just think she might be holding back because she knows we don't trust her," Bruce tried explaining. "She has helped me; she gave me everything she had on the Red Rooms."

Maria felt this was a battle she wasn't going to win. Unwilling to look to Steve for support, and knowing if he had any to offer he would have already spoken up, she let her gaze shift between Bruce and Tony.

"If you think asking her for help is the right thing to do, then do it," she said without inflection.

"I'm not certain it's right," Bruce countered, "I just don't know what other options we have. We're no closer to finding out who is behind any of this and..."

"And she does have a lot of useful contacts," Maria conceded.

"Are we in agreement then?" Tony asked, which was rare enough and another sign that he knew how to be tactful when he wanted to be. When he needed to be.

Steve watched and waited until Maria nodded briskly before agreeing himself and pretty much deciding things. They would consult with Morse the next day about the picture, but nothing more. They'd wait for her reaction and any possible information she could give them before deciding how much further to extend their trust.

After that the subject was changed and Maria decided to leave for the night.

This time, even though he knew it would be awkward, Steve asked to accompany her and was more than a little relieved when she didn't flat out decline.

Halfway through the trip Steve had to say something.

"I'm sorry --"

"Don't do that," she said, quickly cutting him off. "You don't agree with me, fine. You don't need to apologize for not sharing my opinion."

Steve nodded and looked back at the elevator doors, not sure what to say next.

He didn't need to say anything.

"And this whole walking me out thing," Maria continued in an aggravated tone. "This is why Pepper thinks something... It's not, but this is why she thinks there is."

"You could have said no."

"And if I did, she'd have thought we were fighting."

"We kind of are fighting," Steve said, not sure when he'd become angry, but feeling that way none-the-less.

"No, we're not," Maria said with clipped words, moving out of the elevator as soon as the doors slid open on the main lobby floor. "Does this seem like a fight to you?"

"It didn't at first," he said, trailing after her. "But don't you do that. Don't try and turn this on me. If you're angry, tell me you're angry. If you're hurt --"

"I'm not," she snapped, stopping and wheeling back on him.

"Of course you're not," he returned sarcastically before mentally correcting his own attitude. "But I'd like you to remember that when we agreed to this arrangement it was with the understanding that there would be no deception between us. I won't lie to back you up."

"And I didn't ask you to."

"But you are holding it against me."

"I'm not."

"It seems like you are," he countered.

"Because... Shit, Steve, every day I'm a little more obsolete around here," she through clenched teeth. "I'm of no value. I can't help. I can't do anything."

"All of our hands are tied."

"Not like mine have been. I've been cut off -- cut out of everything. Do you know how that burns me up inside?"

"I do," he said softly after a moment.

"Then try and understand that I'm not meaning to take this out on you," she said, her voice thin and slightly shaky, "but I've ran out of ways to take it out on myself."

"You're not obsolete," he argued, reaching out to her unaware. "Maria, we need your help." But already she was shaking her head and pulling back. "We do."

"No, you don't. Everything I do, Morse can do for herself. She just doesn't because... probably because with me here she doesn't have to. I mean, this stupid communicator that has been ringing all damn night," she said, taking it out and showing him the screen that indicated several missed numbers, "it's not even really mine anymore. Technically, it's hers. Or the number should be at least. I'm holding on to it because she hasn't bothered to submit the paperwork that I filled out for her authorizing the change. This damn thing should be annoying her, but it's not, and..." Maria sighed and for a moment Steve wasn't sure if she wasn't just going to chuck the thing across the room. She didn't. She clipped it back into place on her belt and shrugged. "You know, this isn't the time or place," she said after a long pause. Steve hadn't known what to say and honestly Maria wasn't sure what to say either. "It's been a long day. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Maria..."

"Goodnight, Steve."

"Goodnight."

Maria left him standing there, not daring to look back but with her head held as high as she could muster. Mentally she was exhausted. She needed a good night's sleep. Or a drink. Or a vacation. Perhaps all three.

All three sounded really good at the moment.

Finally reaching her apartment, Maria pulled off her boots and set down her keys near the entryway. The first thing she always did when she got home was to lock away her gun and SHIELD credentials. Usually the next thing she'd do was check her communicator, take a quick shower and then unwind with a book, but not tonight. Tonight she immediately unpinned her hair and poured herself a glass of red wine.

There were at least a dozen things she could be doing but Maria couldn't concentrate on any of them long enough to get a single thing done.

She decided to just go to sleep.

However, once in bed, she still couldn't stop her mind from turning over everything. Maria couldn't decide what burned more, the pity or the helplessness. Part of her knew that Director Fury moving her out of the deputy position was for her own good but it was also very limiting. Now she didn't have nearly the same level of access she'd had before and it had hampered her own internal investigation into SHIELD, which was probably his secondary intent. The little she had discovered was of practically no importance. The people responsible were too high up to be touched and everyday they moved their own people into key positions throughout the organization. 

And there was nothing Maria could do.

With one last deep purging breath, Maria tried to push it away and rest.

That's when she heard a noise.

Someone was in her apartment.

Maria's first instinct was not to get up and investigate; it was to remain still and wait.

Mentally she was already making plans. Her gun was locked up, but it was hardly her only option. She was an agent of SHIELD, demotion be damned, and she knew how to defend herself if needed. Her communicator and phone were also both out of reach. Her security alarm, which she had set, had failed to go off.

That last bit, added up with the fact that whoever was in her apartment was not ransacking the place looking for valuables, wasn't nearly as frightening as it was enraging.

Her back was to the door and she could hear whoever it was moving closer.

Quietly she let her hand drop off the bed and reached for the outlet. Once she found the extension cord, she pulled the plug free and slid her hand up until it rested just on the base of her bedside lamp.

Maria was fairly confident that, in the dark, the intruder couldn't see what she was up to. And once she was certain he was close enough, once she could hear their breathing and sense the shift in the room, she moved.

She got lucky and she knew it.

In one quick motion she'd heaved the lamp across the room and was rewarded with loud crunch where it connected with the intruder's nose. Not stopping to admire her work, Maria rolled off the bed and grabbed the only secondary weapon she had within reach; the bat she kept under her bed.

The amateur, and he was an amateur because he'd immediately dropped his gun and began to curse as he clutched his face, didn't stand much of a chance.

Maria was on him in half a second, swinging first for his knees and then for his head. She'd learned a long time ago never to hold back. To hold back, even a little, could cost a person everything. If this man meant to kill her than she wouldn't feel remorse over his fate. So when she swung the bat it was with deadly intent.

Once he was down and out, she stopped and picked up his fallen gun. Using the only thing she had on hand, in this case a few curtain tie-backs, she bound the man's hands and feet and pulled off his mask.

He was kind of a bloody mess, but breathing. He was also no one she knew.

It had been easy. It had been so easy, in fact, Maria was a little insulted.

They really thought some common thug was enough to take her out?

That was it. That was all she could stand. 

She knew what her next move needed to be.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't realize it but this chapter is twice as long as the last one. Sorry about that... or, you're welcome?

Steve had tried taking his frustration out on the heavy bag in the gym but it didn't work. It hadn't worked in a very long time. His mind was too full and he was left feeling more confused than when he started.

The problem was there were too many problems.

He'd give anything for a straightforward challenge. A direct confrontation or fight. Some person or place to just go after and be done with it. All this cloak and dagger business wasn't his specialty. That had been Natasha and Clint's area of expertise, which only frustrated him further, given the fact that it had made the attack on them all the more successful. 

He had to admit that when Maria had first broached the subject of a severe fracture within SHIELD to him, he'd believed her, but he hadn't thought the problem was as serious as she seemed to think. To be fair, she later admitted she hadn't thought it was as big as it was either. All their minds had been changed after Clint had been murdered; this was about more than just replacing Director Fury or moving a few favorites into key positions. 

But how much bigger could it be and what could they really do about it?

There were so many moving parts to keep track of and too many changing players. He hadn't meant to hurt Maria by agreeing with the Bruce, but they did need Morse. Bobbi Morse had been inside Counter Intelligence and knew things about the underbelly of SHIELD that none of them did. Steve still wasn't sure they could trust her, that this wasn't just another trap meant to ensnare them all, but they were out of options. Something had to be done.

He really hadn't wanted to hurt Maria.

Steve stopped swinging and stepped back taking a seat at the nearby bench and sinking into his own dejection.

Maria wasn't a problem, not in his eyes, only a complication.

They had only talked about it once, this thing that was becoming very clear between them, and they'd agreed without much debate that it wouldn't be a good idea. It had been a little simpler then, a few months ago; almost a casual dismissal of anything that might be. And while that was all well and good, it had only been words; neither of them had altered their behavior in the slightest and so it still felt like something about to begin not...

It was a complication.

Steve respected Maria and her decision, but the truth was she hadn't made one and really neither had he. Not then. They'd both agreed it wouldn't be a good idea, but that hadn't been 'no'. He wished he'd have pushed just a little harder and made it all clear. Asked one more question. He thought that maybe he still could find the time to ask if that was what she really wanted, but if the very idea of it wasn't good than the timing was worse. 

But Steve really couldn't live with maybe. 

He needed a definite answer to move on and the sooner the better. He'd wasted too much time with Peggy, lost more than he thought imaginable, and now he'd begun to do the same thing with Maria.

He wouldn't let that happen again.

_"Captain Rogers,"_ JARVIS called, interrupting his thoughts, _"Mr. Stark has asked you to join him in the lounge."_

"Everything all right?"

_"I believe so, sir, but Mr. Stark did ask that you hurry."_

Steve nodded and pulled the tape from his hands, stuffing it back into his gym bag and heading out of the room with a slow jog to the elevator. It was too late for Tony to just be messing around, he hoped, and besides, Tony would just show up at the gym if he was looking to talk. He felt that familiar sensation in his stomach that told him something was wrong; something had happened and once more it wouldn't be good.

"Hey," Tony said, meeting him at the elevator and confirming in Steve's mind his initial assessment.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked, looking around and surprised to see Bruce wasn't already there waiting. 

"Don't..." Tony started and then stopped himself, already trying a different approach. "Okay, so, everything is fine now but --"

"What happened?" Steve asked growing impatient.

"Someone broke into Hill's apartment," Tony said quickly. 

"What?" Steve asked and his entire body felt suddenly cold.

"Everything is fine now," Tony repeated. "Hill wasn't hurt but... Steve?"

Steve had already turned and walked back to the elevator, pressing the button with more force than strictly necessary.

"Maybe we think this over before we rush out the door?" Tony suggested, already knowing that's where Steve was headed and having already determined to accompany him.

"She didn't call?" Steve asked, stepping onto the elevator and looking restlessly from the door to the floor indicator, wondering why they weren't moving faster.

"No."

"Then who did?"

"No one did," Tony admitted.

"Then --"

"I designed a simple program that uses an algorithm to monitor police scanners in the city looking for keywords like our names, certain addresses and such," Tony shrugged, all of his words coming out in a near-jumbled rush. "JARVIS let me know that it got a hit and I reviewed the transmission. Her place was broken into but she was completely unharmed. I swear it. They caught the guy and are taking him to the hospital, so I guess all those kickboxing classes she takes are worth it."

"Not now, Tony," Steve said quietly as he briefly shut his eyes. "Does SHIELD know?"

"Probably, which is why we should consider our next move."

"Tony," Steve said, heading through the Avengers entrance to the main elevators that would take them outside, "I'm going. You don't have to, but I am."

"Of course I'm going with you," Tony sighed, trying to get Steve to see reason, "but remember LA? Remember us being careful about not appearing to know things we shouldn't know? Remember that was Hill's advice that you agreed with? She's not going to love us busting in --"

"You didn't hear this from SHIELD," Steve interrupted.

"No, but --"

"And," Steve continued, giving Tony a hard look as if he didn't want to be contradicted, no matter the truth, "you're not monitoring SHIELD. It was over an open channel. You're free to listen in to those."

"You're right," Tony agreed somewhat surprised. "And say, if we're asked, a friend tipped us off. JARVIS is technically a friend."

_"Thank you, sir,"_ the AI responded dryly.

"You know I love you," Tony returned, smiling back at Steve and waiting.

"They may not ask," Steve dismissed, having finally reached the lobby and not surprised to see the car service already waiting at the curb. "I don't want to lie."

"It's okay to lie to liars," Tony said as he slid into car and without hesitation they were on their way. "Totally balances out. I promise."

When they arrived at her apartment building, not only were there SHIELD agents and cars out front, but also the police, the fire department and several ambulances. Plus, the media which was kind of surprising, but nowadays even the whisper of SHIELD or the Avengers drew crowds. There were reporters with cameras doing live feeds, a small crowd and even a hotdog vendor; it was really just shy of being an actual three-ring circus. Morse was waiting at the foot of the steps and upon seeing the two of them took several quick strides and met them halfway.

"Why are you here?" she asked as she folded her arms across her chest.

"What's all this?" Tony asked at the same time, and he hated to admit it, he was a little amused. The radio chatter had said it was a simple breaking and entering. This looked like the Brinks job.

"Heard it over the police scanner," Steve said simply at the same time as Tony, looking anxiously around him.

"Sure," Morse said, before turning her attention back to Tony. "And this... this is a nightmare," she continued before she told the nearest officer that the two of them were cleared to enter. "Some burglar broke into Hill's apartment. A neighbor heard the commotion and called nine-one-one. By then Hill had already contacted HQ and when SHIELD showed up someone else must have tipped off the press. It's pretty much snowballed from there."

"How he get in?" Steve asked, only concerned with the major details. 

And seeing Maria. 

Steve wanted to see her and confirm for himself everything Tony had already told him. Part of him wouldn't believe it was true, that she was still safe, until then.

"Yeah, don't you provide top-notch security systems for your agents?" Tony asked. "Stolen from me, of course."

"Hell if I know how it happened," Morse said with resentment clear in her voice as they entered the building. "The local police are interviewing her now and I can't get in. They guy's already been dragged off to the hospital. SHIELD should have gotten here first but... This is a real mess," she sighed and looked down the hallway to where the apartment was swarming with local law enforcement.

As she looked away, Tony caught Steve's eye and gave him a grin but Steve wasn't in the mood for novelties.

Maria Hill lived, ate, slept, and breathed protocol. If she had to, she'd have beaten her neighbor into submission to keep the cops from being called. This had not happened on accident. The three of them all seemed completely aware of that fact, but no one was willing to say it.

Twenty minutes passed with all of them standing out in the hallway, trying not to be in the way and mostly failing at that task. During that time there had been a lot of staring, not just by the police and various emergency workers that had come and gone from the apartment, but by Maria's many neighbors. Many of whom had peeked out of their own doors from time to time, but went no further. One woman had asked if anyone had died and seemed disappointed when she learned it wasn't true. One brave kid had darted past his father and asked Tony for an autograph. Other than that, they were mostly left alone.

Finally a detective pulled Morse aside to give her a rundown and allowed Tony and Steve to enter the apartment.

Maria was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hands and looked nothing like her normal self. Her hair was down. She was barefoot and in yoga pants, a tank top, and had pulled a sweater on as well, as if she was cold. If Tony didn't know her better, he'd have thought she looked fragile. Steve just thought she looked wrong.

Maria was clearly playing it up.

Steve very much wanted to sit down beside her and say something, anything, but there were too many people around and he had no idea what might slip out if he even made the attempt. Tony, having long since outgrown restraint of any sort, did take a seat and gave Maria a smile.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, a little too kindly. His smile more gleeful than sincere as he reached out and patted her on the knee.

"Okay," she said with a timid smile of her own. "Rattled, but fine."

Before Tony could say anything else, Morse and the detective she'd been talking with, were headed their way.

"What this about?" Morse asked Hill almost accusingly. "You're being stalked?"

"What?" Steve echoed and Tony got back to his feet and discretely pulled him aside.

Steve hadn't meant to say anything, but it had caught him off guard. He wasn't naive. He knew she was acting a part, but for a split second it hadn't mattered. For half a second Steve was just as concerned, as worried as he had been when Tony had first given him the news.

"Well, I'm not sure," Maria answered Morse directly, steadfastly avoiding Steve and Tony. She sounded nothing like herself. Even her voice was fake. "This is all so strange. I've never had anything like this happen before. Detective Myers told you my alarm had been cut, didn't he? And with all those strange texts I've been getting on my work phone..."

"That guy definitely cased the apartment ahead of time," the detective said with a sage nod. "As soon as he's up, we'll get answers for you."

"Thank you," Maria said with another docile smile that looked unnatural for her, but the detective didn't seem to notice.

Morse did and she looked livid.

And Steve... Steve didn't know what he was. Irritated. Confused. Upset. Concerned.

He really wasn't cut out for this part of the job.

"In the mean time, you might not want to stay here," the detective continued. "I'm sure it's safe, but you're probably frightened. Do you have a friend you can stay with?"

"She does," Tony said, knowing this was his part even if Morse and Steve didn't yet. 

Maria had quarters on the Helicarrier, but that was the last place she needed to be right now. SHIELD couldn't sweep her up and out of the room with so many witnesses. It was Tony's job to provide the escape vehicle. He'd imagined, if they hadn't shown up, Maria would have talked the detective into escorting her to the station and then called them herself.

"Thank you," Maria said, getting to her feet and shaking the detective's hand. "You will keep me informed of your progress? I'd hate to hear of this man out there again on the streets."

"Yes, miss. You can count on it. He'll be under close watch and I'll call you personally when he's arraigned."

"Can I pack a bag or something?" she asked as she got to her feet. "Am I allowed back inside my room?"

"Are you sure you want to go back in there?" he asked and Tony wanted to laugh. He almost did laugh. It wasn't funny, but it was. Maria had practically cracked this intruder's skull open, if what he was hearing was to be believed, and Detective Myers was treating her like a delicate little flower. Forget laughing, he should be applauding. "It's a mess," Myers finished with a grimace.

"Yeah, Hill," Morse said, arms crossed and looking extremely off-put. "Sure you can stomach it?"

"I'll go with you," Steve said, crossing the room and walking with her to the door and for the first time Maria looked legitimately apprehensive.

Steve had finally managed to stop looking baffled and angry by the situation and Maria's response to it, but he was still agitated. And he realized that being alone with her, when they weren't really alone, was probably a mistake just now, but he couldn't help it. Right now he felt like if he didn't keep her in sight, she'd disappear. 

Tony waited in the living room with Morse and Myers, trying not to fidget or pry too much into Hill's space while he skimmed over the contents of her bookshelf. She needed better books. It was an uncomfortable silence. Morse was pissed. Myers looked as if he didn't know how to talk to either of them, and like he might want to start to play at white knight with Maria to which Tony would pay actual money to see Steve's reaction.

A few minutes, a few very silent minutes, was all it took for Maria to pull together a bag and after a few more questions and very little delay she was in the car with Tony and Steve and the three of them were on their way back to the Tower.

"That was brilliant," Tony said as soon as the car pulled away from the curb, the driver having no way of listening in on their conversation. "Honestly, Hill, I didn't know you had it in you."

"This isn't a game," Steve snapped at Tony. "She could have been killed. You could have been killed," he said to her directly, finally glad to have a place to vent his emotions.

"Please," Maria said, back to her regular tone and demeanor. "That guy was the flunkey of someone's flunkey. I told you I can handle myself."

"And I told you that this was serious and that you needed to be careful."

"Agent Hill is a model of seriousness," Tony said with a grin. "And carefulness. That's a word, isn't it? It is. I'm sure it is."

"And what was all that about?" Steve continued, really angrier than either of them had seen him in some time. "What was with that... that... show? I don't understand why you did this."

"It had to be done," Maria said with a shake of her head, but she no longer looked at ease. "I made certain the police were called because I couldn't call them myself; my phone lines are monitored. After I had the guy taken care of I made enough noise to ensure someone else would do it for me. Simple. And I did it because it's the only way I may get answers. If someone in SHIELD sent him after me there was no way he'd talk once they had him in custody. With the police, he might. And if SHIELD didn't send him, he's still a criminal, and he's in the right hands."

"That does not explain why you were acting so... strange," Steve said.

"Sometimes you catch more flies with honey," she shrugged.

"I didn't think you knew that," Tony said, unable to keep the laugh out of his voice this time. And he knew it shouldn't be so damn funny, but it was. Tony couldn't decide which was the funniest part, Maria's timid flower routine or Steve's outright disgust with it.

No, Tony knew; Steve was funnier.

"Just because I don't do it, doesn't mean I don't know about it," Maria responded.

"Well, don't do it again," Tony smirked. "I think Steve prefers you brutally honest."

"I do," Steve said before he could stop himself. "I mean," he backtracked, "you don't have to do that."

"I did if I wanted that detective to call me as soon as he's gotten anything out of the guy who broke into my apartment," Maria answered, ignoring the first part of his statement.

"You could have just showed him some skin," Tony said and they both glared at him. He'd gone too far and wisely chose to look out the window.

"You're provoking whoever this is, Maria," Steve said after a moment. "Needlessly. They're going to see through this and right to what you really wanted done tonight. By calling attention to what happened, to them, they'll see you as a bigger threat," he continued. "The next time they come they'll be better prepared and they'll know who they're up against."

"Good."

"This isn't about proving yourself."

"That is exactly what this is about," she argued back at him. "I have no power, no control, so I'll make my own. Same as I've always done. I'll show them that I'm not going to go down quietly. I will not be a pawn, tossed off the board when they're tired of playing me. I won't do it."

"And I won't lose anyone else," he said with real feeling. "Not you. Not anyone. I can't. I won't let it happen."

"It's not going to happen again," Tony said, having to say something to cut the tension. A sudden sense of dread flooding through him as well. "Hill can stay at the Tower. We'll drag Fury back if we have to and make him tell us everything he knows. We'll pull the truth out of Morse, too. We've been hung up saving the world from the villain of the week for too long... but this has to be resolved. It has to be resolved now."

The driver stopped at the curb and the three of them got out. Maria snatched up her bag before Steve had the chance and led the way inside. Tony slapped Steve on the back in a show support but the other man was too angry over the situation to even look at either of them.

Agent Morse was waiting for them by the elevators.

"Do you know what you've done?" she asked Maria pointblank.

"Problem?" Maria returned with feigned surprise.

"Don't do that," Morse said with a brutal shake of her head. "Don't keep playing... whatever it is you're playing at. How did you let that happen? Why? I've been putting out fires all night because of you."

"Comes with the job," Maria without inflection.

"So is this some kind of attempt to get back at me?" Morse asked.

"Ladies," Tony interrupted as he pushed the call button to the elevator, because it looked like it was about to get very ugly. "It's late. Maybe we can postpone this discussion until the morning? Say... ten o'clock? You can take it to the boxing ring if you'd like."

"Director Fury is on his way," Morse returned. "Right now."

"Okay," Tony shrugged, ushering everyone inside. "We'll just do this now."

"I need to change first," Maria said, dropping her head and suddenly tired.

Steve reached down and took the bag from her hand as the doors opened on the Avenger's main lobby. Tony quickly passed them through the initial security and towards the secondary elevators inside the secure enclave. 

"Why don't you show Hill to her room," Tony advised Steve, "and Morse and I will wait in the conference room for Fury to make his grand entrance."

"You take the elevator," Steve said. "It's only a flight up. We'll walk."

Tony nodded and neither Maria nor Morse disagreed, so the group split up.

Steve held open the door for Maria and let her move into the stairwell first, but as soon as he shut the door he stopped.

"We need to talk. We have to clear this up," he said, putting down the bag and taking a few steps towards her. "Right now. Before everything else."

"Can't we walk and talk?" Maria asked, already two steps up the stairs.

"No," he said, moving forward to stand directly before her. "Not about this. This..." he said, his eyes darting momentarily away from hers but coming back stronger and more determined. "What happened tonight --"

"Don't," she said sharply, taking one step down the staircase and glaring at him intensely.

"Don't what?"

"I know what I've gotten myself into. I knew when I signed up with SHIELD what the risks were. Don't start lecturing me about how dangerous this all is. I already know."

"I wasn't going to," he countered, but she only continued to glare at him until he was forced to amend his response. "I was only... Maria, I know you can handle this. You're probably better equipped to handle this than I am. You certainly are keeping it together better than I am..."

"I wouldn't say that," she disagreed, softening her tone and starting to think she'd had this all wrong.

"I would," he argued. "I just... I worry. When Tony told me what had happened I thought the absolute worst and it wasn't because I doubted your ability. It's... It's just that I closed my eyes once and lost everything. Everyone in my life was... they're gone, and I realize that it's not the same and that it's not very likely to happen again but... but I worry."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked quietly, almost hopefully. Maria knew she shouldn't feel this way, but she did. It sounded so much like a confession, like a profession of things to come that...

"Because I don't want you to get the wrong idea," he answered as he let his gaze drift away from hers. 

When he looked up again, Maria was somehow different. Her posture was more rigid and her eyes had gone cold.

"What idea do you think I have?"

Steve didn't have a lot of experience with women, but he had plenty of experience dealing with Maria. And at the moment, he knew she was angry. Her stance. The crease in her brow. All signs pointed to angry, it was easy to see if you knew her well enough, but he couldn't figure out where he'd gone wrong. He'd thought it had been going well, but apparently...

"That this was... that my attitude, tonight, was about you."

"No, I get it," she said crisply, wondering why he chose tonight, why he chose now of all times to do this. Maria had been feeling guilty about upsetting him earlier. She didn't like the act any more than he had, but... but what did it matter what he thought? She didn't really matter to him, it seemed. Not in any significant way. Not in any way more than a colleague. And even if she should be feeling relived, Maria knew nothing more would happen, it still burned.

"You do?"

"Yes," she said, correcting her tone just a bit. Relaxing her posture as much as she could. "Of course I do. Naturally, given... given what's happened to you and what's... It's fine."

"You don't seem fine."

"I am," she said briskly. "I'm fine and we're fine. Just like before."

"Okay," he said uncertainly, because she still didn't look fine.

"Is that it?" she asked, turning to continue back up the stairs. "Director Fury is on his way, I can't keep him waiting."

"It's..." he began, wanting to admit that it wasn't. 

Steve had plenty more to say. He'd only wanted to first make sure Maria had understood that he wasn't really mad at her earlier; he'd been angry with himself. And he still was, because he was doing it again. He was delaying what shouldn't be delayed. He knew he should just tell her how he felt and see if she felt the same, but now... Steve had thought he'd known before what her answer might be, he'd hoped at least, but now...

"What?" she asked, calm and professional once more.

"Nothing."


	6. Chapter 6

Director Fury, Agent Morse, Bruce and Tony were all waiting on Steve and Maria.

Tony had filled Bruce in on a lot of the details he'd missed out on but after that was done, and it didn't take nearly long enough, there was nothing else to say. 

Morse kept fiddling with her communicator and throwing dirty looks over her shoulder at the door. Fury remained stock still, his chair turned slightly towards the front of the room. Bruce would every so often sneak a glance at Tony, who could only shrug his shoulders in response.

All Tony could assume was that they were either killing one another or...

Thankfully, the elevator arrived.

Maria stepped off first, completely changed into her uniform, her face steady and calm. Steve was right behind her, only a few steps back, his own visage blank and impassive.

Neither of them offered any kind of explanation for their delay.

Director Fury waited until they both took their seats before standing and moving to the front of the room.

"We should have had this conversation a long time ago," he began, giving each of them a hard look and pausing for half a beat before continuing on. "There is a faction inside of SHIELD looking to end my tenure," Fury said without a hint of emotion. "Their first actions were political and I'd hoped those actions would not extend to those closest to me, but that hope was in vain. This has been a long time coming. I knew it. Agent Coulson knew it. Agent Hill as well. How long it has been coming, I didn't even know, until Agent Morse left her post in Los Angeles and implored me to listen."

"If I had listened then, some of this might have been averted," he went on, and for the first time he sounded disturbed. "I didn't listen. I didn't understand what she'd been trying to say and I ignored the warning signs that this was larger than I wanted to believe. I thought it was personal, but it's more than that. This is a regime change happening in shadows." 

"Phase Two, which I was onboard with, was not the beginning," he explained. "It was always a back-up plan for me, but not for them, and when you succeeded, you derailed all of that; all their work, but not for long. So they struck back. They began to further limit me where they could. They struck at the agents they could reach, Barton and Romanoff. They tried again tonight with Agent Hill, despite the fact that I had already removed her from the situation as best I could."

"How's Jasper?" Maria asked as soon as he paused.

"On his way," Fury answered with a brief nod at the recognized danger. "I've been working on his transfer back since his relocation. And tomorrow, Dr. Banner, you need to bring Romanoff home."

"How exactly am I supposed to do that?" he asked warily.

"You'll think of something," Fury said with a nod, dismissing his doubts. "It's time to close ranks."

"These weapons SHIELD was creating," Steve said, trying to follow along but feeling as if something key was missing, "there are more?"

"And if there are more," Tony interjected, "how are there more? The Tesseract is no longer on Earth."

"May I?" Agent Morse asked Director Fury, getting to her feet and awaiting his approval. He gave her a nod and retook his seat, giving her the floor. "Understand that I have known for some time that all of you were under surveillance, inside of SHIELD and out. I've been a part of those teams and have filed reports. Along the way I've discovered... certain information wasn't adding up to me in the way it should have. A story started to emerge that wasn't... it wasn't what it seemed. Counter Intelligence likes to pretend that HYDRA is still very active when they know it isn't. It's kind of like a double-blind. Most agents don't take it serious, they dismiss it, but at the same time it is of importance. Not as an active entity but because of what they once did."

"What exactly did they do?" Tony asked curiously, casting a glance at Steve and Bruce, who each looked wary.

"Your friend from Asgard already told you," Morse shrugged. "I've reviewed all the file footage from the Helicarrier on the day from New York and it comes back to the Tesseract. Things didn't change here on Earth two years ago because of the incident in New Mexico; they had already changed. That was just a more visible event. SHIELD was not the first organization to create weapons with that... thing," she explained. "Seventy years ago HYDRA was making their own weapons with the Tesseract and by doing that they had already signaled that Earth was ready for a higher form of war to these other realms we know nothing about."

"You're serious," Tony stated not sure if he shouldn't be asking. "You believe this."

"Then why haven't we already been invaded and conquered?" Steve asked with a growing sense of dread. "What's holding them back?"

"Luck," she shrugged. "I don't have an answer for that. I'm sorry. I don't know."

"So this is a guess?" Bruce inquired, leaning forward and rubbing his eyes in an effort to focus clearer.

"It's not a guess," she answered confidently. "There have long been alien sightings. Reports of encounters and, probably not without coincidence, those instances have gone up during major world conflicts."

"Tabloid fodder," Tony said as he shook his head dismissively. "Do you have proof?"

Morse's hand went up to her pendant and with a twist it detached into a usable USB drive. She slid it across the table to Tony. He got up and hooked the drive up before returning to his seat and sliding a remote back her way.

She pulled up several files and video clips before turning back to the gathered group and looking a little anxious.

"This is early February, 2009," she explained. "There was a joint training exercise off of a carrier in the South Pacific with both Navy and Air Force pilots. This is a composite of the audio and video recordings from the three pilot's cockpits and radio transmissions. Can we dim the lights?"

"You heard the lady, JARVIS," Tony said, and the lights automatically turned down.

Morse stepped back and clicked play.

_The view from the lead jet's dash was serene. All blue sky and ocean with very few clouds. For the first minute there was minimal chatter, just the three pilots confirming the exercise's success to command and then silence._

_"Race you back, Burger," the first voice said over the din across the line._

_"Wouldn't be fair, Mellow," the second voice, a woman this time, replied. "I'm much better than you are."_

_"Quiet on the comms," the final pilot said, a different man. And for a second or two it was quiet. "And Danvers is right, Marsh. She'd wipe the floor with you."_

_"Ha-ha," Danvers, call sign Burger, laughed. "Hear it. Learn it. Live it, Marsh. I'm better. Termite says so. It is a fact."_

_"Faster isn't better," Marsh, a.k.a. Mellow said, but he sounded amused. "You'd think Termite would have figured that out already. That's why all his girls come to me at the end of the night when he's done."_

_Both Danvers and Marsh laughed, and Termite, whose real name was Haskell, responded with a spirited, "Fuck both of you."_

_They only laughed harder for his efforts._

_Until a sudden beam of light was clearly visible, if only briefly, off on the left side of the cockpits._

_"Hold on," Danvers said, sobering in an instant. "You see that? I saw some kind of light back there."_

_"What island chain is that?" Haskell asked._

_"No clue," Marsh responded. "Sure it wasn't the water reflecting the sun or something?"_

_"I know what I saw," Danvers said, and this time she sounded irritated. "Could have been a signal flare."_

_"Command," Haskell said over the main line, "we've spotted something off one of the smaller uncharted chains out here. Going back for a second look."_

_"You're clear," the voice responded. "Just make it quick and keep this line open."_

_"Roger that," Haskell said._

_He swung back around, still in the lead of the formation, but this time the other two jets were just within peripheral sight. As soon as the island chain came back into view, as the three dipped lower into the horizon, the beam of light flashed again._

_"We're going to swing back for another pass," Haskell decided and this time. "Still not sure what--"_

_It became chaos._

_The jet swung wide around the small island in the center of the chain and it looked as if an explosion had taken place. There was fire and smoke and suddenly, it no longer looked like an explosion but like a rocket launch. Except, it wasn't a rocket, and it was much faster than the three jets, and bigger too._

_It ripped straight through the jet on the left, the one Marsh had been piloting, and tore the wing off of Haskell's jet in the process._

_Everything spun._

Morse stood up and paused the scene and frame by frame reversed the descent until...

"What in the hell is that?" Tony asked stressing each word clearly and half rising out of his chair.

The image was a little blurry on the screen, but clear enough. It was gigantic and humanoid and certainly nothing they'd ever seen before. It was like the Iron Man suit, but not. It was more robotic. Larger, much larger than even Obadiah Stane's monstrosity of a suit had been. The metal was unfamiliar; the colors deeper and ingrained. 

"Is it... is it sentient?" Bruce asked, also on his feet and moving closer to the image with a look of bewildered unease.

"For four years whole departments in SHIELD have known about..." Maria stammered, pointing at the screen and at a loss. "What is that?"

"It is a Sentry."

Every set of eyes in the room turned towards the sound of the new voice at the back of the room.

Thor removed his cloak and gazed about the room before his eyes found the bow Tony had hung up in remembrance of Clint. Without saying more, Thor strode across the room and placed his hand on it, briefly shutting his eyes and dipping his head, before moving back to the table and continuing on as if he hadn't just shown up out of nowhere.

"It is from the Kree Empire," he said, dropping his cloak against the back of the chair nearest Tony's own, but staying on his feet. "They are their eyes and ears. Their guardians. They have been watching Midgard unaware for some time."

"Not this one," Morse said. "At least it isn't any more."

"They will know if it is no longer in service," Thor advised, but only after giving her a long, hard look. "Whether or not they care is another matter."

"What do you know about this empire?" Fury asked Thor, getting back to his feet and squaring his shoulders.

"Little," Thor admitted easily. "We have no dealings with them but my brother has had much to say as of late. The Chitauri were eager to get to Earth before the Kree arrived in force, but he could not say when or even if that force was actually to arrive."

"Couldn't say?" Tony asked skeptically.

"Or would not," Thor said with shrug. "The Kree are an extremely advanced people. A dangerous one. You'll have reason to fear them."

"And not very friendly," Bruce tacked on, pointing at the screen. "Three jets downed. How many more did it take to finish it off?"

"No more," Morse answered, pulling up an additional files for view on screen and at their individual monitors set into the table. "It was apparently malfunctioning. The carrier registered the shockwave when this... this Sentry exploded. SHIELD was able to recover some of the pieces and the remains of the officers on scene. Major Haskell and Lieutenant Marsh were killed almost instantly. Captain Danvers was not." 

"So, SHIELD is using bits and pieces of this thing?" Bruce asked.

"To make more weapons?" Morse asked, waiting for the nod she knew she'd get in response. "Yes. And they have been now for years as a part of Phase One."

"She survived this?" Steve asked, still stuck on that glossed over piece of information and pointing at the wreckage on the screen. "You said Captain Danvers wasn't killed."

"Initially she was classified as MIA, but two days later she was recovered, unconscious, unresponsive, and completely unharmed. There wasn't a scratch on her. Not a burn. Nothing."

"This press release says that all three pilots perished," Tony said, pushing the article he'd found to the main screen. "In a training accident, my favorite standby."

"Going off of the reports I have been able to dig up, Captain Danvers status was kept under wraps. There was concern that she'd become contaminated. Her blood work was... altered."

"So they let her family think she was dead?" Steve pushed, clearly not happy as he looked down at the photo he'd found.

"This is nothing I had control over," Morse felt the need to say as she shifted uneasily from one foot to the next. And it was true, she'd only discovered this; she hadn't perpetrated the ruse.

"Wait a second," Bruce said, shaking his head and looking stern. "Go back. Altered. Altered how?"

"I don't know."

"And they just... kept her?" Steve persisted, leaning forward and feeling more than a little annoyed. He was angry. And without looking, he knew Bruce was angry too.

"Were they experimenting on this woman?" Bruce asked.

"I don't know," Morse repeated, stressing her words carefully. "I didn't order it. I don't condone it. It wasn't my call." 

"What do you know?" Tony asked, having picked up what Steve and Bruce's concerns were about. If there was a rogue section of SHIELD randomly picking up people with altered biochemistries, Steve and Bruce were probably on the top of their wish list.

"The report is largely redacted," Morse sighed. "How Captain Danvers was altered isn't explicit, I only gleaned that it was at a cellular level and it was unlike anything heard of before. It's all there," she said, waving at the files they already had access to. "That's all I've got and it doesn't really matter. It's a moot point now."

"Why is that?" Maria asked, her eyes on the report Morse had mentioned.

"She died," Morse answered flatly.

"How?" Tony asked sounding unconvinced.

"Of seemingly natural causes two weeks after she'd been picked up."

"And then what happened?" Bruce asked, crossing his arms and feeling very much like he already knew the answer.

"Do you know why I started looking into this?" Morse asked Maria directly, momentarily ignoring Bruce and waiting until she had the other woman's full attention. "In a way, it was because of you. When you started looking into changing certain bylaws SHIELD still carries for the disposal of unclaimed remains, I was told to squash it. I was told to shut it down and to keep it from happening. And because of that, because it sounded like such a non-issue, I grew curious. How often do you think that bylaw has been enacted?"

"I can think of two times in very recent memory," Maria answered with a frown.

"In all the years since SHIELD was formed, just after World War II, Captain Danvers was only the third person to be cremated under that clause. And since her cremation an additional sixteen agents have been handled in the same fashion. That's nineteen total in nearly seventy years; seventeen of those very recently."

Tony first looked at Steve who shook his head slightly; he wasn't sure.

Tony then looked at Bruce who nodded his head; he was.

"That sounds like murder," Morse concluded. "That sounds a lot like murder and like someone wanted very badly to get rid of the evidence."

Tony gave Steve one more look and the other man shrugged; go for it.

"There may be more to it than that," Tony said.


	7. Chapter 7

It took several more hours to go over the picture of Agent Coulson and how they'd come across it and even then no one was in agreement about what it could possibly mean except that it clearly meant something.

Fury, Morse, Hill and surprisingly Thor were all of the opinion that it was a lie.

That left Tony, Bruce and Steve to believe it was real.

After the discussion broke down into everyone simply stating and restating their own opinions, Fury called it for the night. He would be bringing Agent Sitwell by in the morning and asked if Tony could put him up for the time being. Seeing as the Tower was huge and largely empty, it wasn't a problem. Fury had both Agents Hill and Morse accompany him out while everyone else retreated to the lounge where Pepper and Jane were still awake and waiting for them.

Thor's somber expression broke when he saw Jane again. He smiled broadly and walked to her side, but it was a short lived happiness. They had much to discuss and determine.

"What's everyone thinking?" Steve asked with a hint of reluctance.

"SHIELD is falling apart," Bruce said with a heavy sigh, as he slumped into the nearest chair. "It's eating itself from the inside out. Honestly, I'm not sure we can stop it."

"I'm not sure we should," Tony said with an easy shrug.

"They do good, you know," Steve argued.

"So can we," Tony countered.

"We can and we do," Steve returned, "but even with your resources, with all of our skills together, we can't compete with them as an organization. We'll never have that same pull."

"And we shouldn't," Bruce nodded in agreement.

"I will not accept that the answer is to allow this purge to continue," Thor said evenly, but the anger was there, hidden smoothly behind his visage. "They have attacked us in our home. We cannot allow that slight to go unanswered or they will come again."

"The problem is that we don't know who is pulling the strings," Tony said, becoming exasperated, because Thor was right. This could not be ignored. They'd been over and over this issue since Barton's death. They'd been going in circles. They'd been kept busy and distracted and they couldn't afford to be any longer. "Aside from everyone in SHIELD to exclude like... four people."

"I think that whole Counter Intelligence division is a good starting place," Steve said as he gave his head a shake. "Agent Campbell brought in Clint for questioning back in LA and they were shadowing us when we were out looking for Natasha."

"Didn't Hill have Campbell busted down to piss-boy for that?" Tony asked out of curiosity.

"Glorified piss-boy," Maria answered for herself as she stepped off the elevator, "but it didn't take. He's already climbed back up the ladder and is currently sitting in the number three spot in CI."

"How are you, Maria?" Pepper asked, taking in her appearance and the knowledge of what had happened earlier in the night.

"I'm fine," she answered, tacking on, "thank you," at the end, as she moved into the impromptu circle they'd created in the room and crossed her arms definitely.

"She kicked that guy's ass," Tony smiled good-naturedly as he went to make everyone a drink. "The real show was after."

Maria froze, she was at a complete loss as her mind went straight to the altercation in the stairwell, and Steve was really no better. He was still confused about her sudden change of attitude and trying to piece together what he'd said that was so wrong. Or maybe it hadn't been anything he'd said; maybe she'd just figured out where he was going with it and cut him short on purpose.

When the silence continued to stretch across the room, Pepper looked from Steve to Maria before her eyes found Tony.

"Could Campbell be behind this?" Bruce asked, helpfully deflecting attention and redirecting everyone back to the matter at hand.

"Not enough pull," Maria admitted after clearing her throat. "Although, he's more than likely a part of this... movement. Morse suspected him, he was the main reason she changed divisions, but she doesn't think he's reporting to Director Chander."

"Out of curiosity, how many directors are there in SHIELD?" Tony asked pausing mid-task.

"Eight," Maria answered. "One per division."

"WSC members?" Bruce inquired, knowing it was rare to get information so freely.

"Five."

"Does Director Fury have a plan?" Steve asked, ready to cut to the chase.

"Yes," Maria nodded, looking directly at him for the first time since she'd come into the room, "but he's not ready to share it yet."

"Meaning he's planning on going it alone," Steve correctly interpreted.

"He thinks if he further involves any of you it would compromise your overall mission," Maria confirmed.

"Too late," Tony shrugged, returning with a tray and holding it out to each of them in turn to take a glass. "We're involved."

"Which is why he wants to keep you from being further involved," Maria stressed.

"You agree with that?" Steve asked pointedly.

"No."

"How's Morse feel?" Bruce asked, taking the glass of water poured specifically for him from the tray Tony held out.

"She isn't saying but if body language is any indicator... she's not entirely onboard with his plan either."

For a minute or two they were all silent, sipping their drinks, and mulling the situation over.

"Okay," Tony finally said, setting down his glass as he leaned against the sofa. "This is what we're going to do: Tomorrow morning we're calling up Morse. We need to know everything we can about these cover-ups, these cremations. We have no choice; we have to trust her. She's right, statistically something is way off with those deaths. Sitwell's into computers, right?" he asked Maria, who nodded in return. "Good. We'll need to get him pulling everything he can from personnel records. Movements. Shipments. Transfers. Anything out of place."

"That's kind of vague," Bruce added skeptically.

"Kind of?" Maria questioned. It was downright impossible. 

"We need to know who these other potential victims were," Tony continued. "He'll need to check with Morse; see what she's already got. Something bigger is off here and I have a feeling he'll know it when he sees it. Hill, you've done some looking into Campbell... Take another look. If he's even a little involved, his associations might be the key."

"What are we going to do?" Steve asked, more than ready to be part of this.

"You... I don't know," Tony admitted with a smirk, "but Bruce, Thor and I are going on a trip."

"Excuse me?" Bruce questioned, eyebrow raised and looking extremely wary.

"It's three in the morning," Jane said with a frown.

"I know," Tony agreed gleefully. "Perfect time."

"For what?" Bruce continued to press, getting to his feet.

"Fury said we needed to bust Tasha out so, why wait?"

"Are you serious?" Steve said, looking uneasy, but not nearly as uneasy as Bruce.

"Of course he's serious," Bruce answered. "He's insane."

"Is this an attack?" Thor joined in, stepping forward eagerly.

"Let's hope not," Tony said, holding up his glass in salute.

"You want us to go down their geared up and expect them to not think we're attacking?" Steve asked, sipping his drink for no real reason other than it was in his hand. It had zero effect but he needed something to keep him occupied in the moment. Bruce had a point; Tony was insane.

"Not geared up," Tony corrected with extreme exasperation. "And not you, remember? Just me, Bruce and Thor. Thor and I will wait outside, just in case, and Bruce will go in and ask nicely if Tasha can come out and play."

"And if they say no?" Maria asked indifferently, her own drink already half finished. It had been a long day.

"I think..." Bruce said, his face momentarily lighting up, "I think Tony's on to something here."

"You just called him insane," Steve pointed out.

"Apparently it's contagious," Bruce shrugged.

Fifteen minutes later Tony was back in the limo with Bruce and Thor this time and the three of them were being driven out to the Helicarrier.

"She may not come," Bruce said, shaking his head and growing worried. Not about going in and gaining access, but about what would happen after that. "Tony, she's not... she may not be ready to come back with us."

"You'll convince her," Tony said easily.

"Have faith," Thor said, echoing his sentiment.

Bruce wished it was that easy.

Once there, Tony and Thor stood out by the car and watched as Bruce fumbled momentarily with his credentials and made his way onto the ship. It was easy going, at first. No one stopped or questioned him. It was exactly the same as it always was, only later in the night, or more technically much earlier in the day than his typical trip.

It wasn't until he reached the final desk to the retention cells that he was stopped by Agent West.

"Dr. Banner," the man said getting to his feet and Bruce noted that he kept one hand under his desk. "We weren't expecting you."

"No, I'm sure you weren't but I'm allowed twenty-four hour access."

"Yes, sir, but..."

"Something wrong?" Bruce asked, stepping closer to the glass partition that separated the two of them.

"No," the agent said, shaking his head rapidly as he took a tiny step back. "It's just... Agent Romanoff..."

"What about her?"

"She's... she's scheduled to be transferred this morning. You weren't expected... Um..."

"Well, there's been a change of plans," Bruce returned. "She's actually being transferred right now. By me. So, if you would just take your hand off of that alarm you've got hidden under your desk and open up her cell, I'd appreciate your cooperation."

"I can't, sir. I have orders."

"Yes, I suppose you do," Bruce said, looking down and shaking his head. "But there's something you're not quite understanding. One way or another, I am going to get what I want. Now, I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone. But I will leave here with Agent Romanoff. How that happens, Agent West, is entirely up to you."

"I...I.... Of course you're allowed in, Dr. Banner. Of course you are," he said, placing both his hands on the desk for Bruce to see before reaching up and keying in the correct code allowing him access.

"Thank you," Bruce said, giving him a curt nod and heading through the doors down to Natasha's cell.

He knocked first, because it was very late, but she answered almost immediately, without surprise, and invited him in.

"Bruce?" she said, sitting up and stifling a yawn. "What's happened?"

"A lot," he answered, looking around her room for anything he could find to hold her belongings. "You need to get up and get moving. Right now, Natasha. We're leaving."

"I know where they're taking me," she said, resolutely staying put. "It's for the best."

"How do you know?" Bruce sighed, taking a seat and dropping the duffel bag he'd just picked up.

"The guards here... they're not very good," she shrugged. "When I took my walk today, I heard them talking. I should have been taken there to begin with."

"No."

"It's where I belong."

"Then... You know what? We'll both go. Maybe you're right. When they come for you, they can take me away too. I won't fight. I won't even argue. They'll get a real bargain. Two for one."

"Don't mock me."

"I'm not," he argued with feigned indignation. "I mean it. Why fight?" Natasha groaned at him in annoyance and rubbed at her eyes with the palms of her hands. "They're not locking you up because they've decided you're a hopeless case, Tasha," Bruce continued after they'd both settled their emotions some. "They're doing it because they're done using you and they want you out of the way. They don't want you well. They don't want you helping us, or Fury, or yourself."

"You don't know --"

"They came for Agent Hill tonight," he interrupted impatiently. "In her home. But it wasn't to arrest her. They came to silence her. Permanently." Bruce waited for it to sink in. He waited to be certain she was really hearing what he was saying. "We need you."

Natasha stared at him then got to her feet, resigned, and grabbed her boots.

"Just take the books and the music box," she instructed as she laced up her shoes and reached for her jacket. "Nothing else here matters."

Bruce did as he was asked, giving only a passing thought to how Clint's copy of Watership Down had made it to her, and within moments they were ready to go.

Agent West wasn't at his post when they walked out of the ward, but he hadn't locked them in either. In fact, the entire route out of the Helicarrier was surprisingly void of personnel.

"Finally," Tony said as soon as he saw them. "I was about to send in the cavalry," he finished, motioning towards Thor.

"Yes, well, let's not hang out longer than we need to," Bruce intoned.

Bruce thrust the bag into Tony's hand and crawled into the car after him, serious about them needing to speed things up. The lack of agents crawling all over the place had only unsettled him. Natasha however, upon seeing Thor, stopped as if the whole event was crashing down around her again.

"I carry no ill will," Thor assured her solemnly, extending her his hand and waiting patiently for her to take it.

"Thank you," she said, unusually quiet and unable to take her eyes from the ground, even as she took his hand and allowed Thor's assistance.

"Do we have a plan?" Thor asked as they approached the building.

"No," Tony admitted. "Well, sort of. We will. And hey, worse comes to worse, we can hold up in the Tower for at least another year. It's practically impenetrable."

"We're still not sure what we're up against," Bruce said, shutting his eyes and beginning to feel the strain of the day, a day which almost started a full twenty-four hours ago for him, wear him thin.

"What's changed so drastically?" Natasha asked. She still felt so distant from all of this, but she was trying. She was really trying to be there and participate. She wanted to care, which is more than she'd wanted anything in the past several months other than the one thing she couldn't have.

"We've got a lot to tell you," Tony non-answered as they all got out of the car and headed for the elevator. "But... tomorrow. Let's try and get some sleep."

"No," Natasha said, shaking her head. "Now. Let's start now.

Bruce set up in the conference room as Tony ran down, more or less, all of the new information they had for Natasha.

It wasn't much but he hoped to soon have more.

"Okay," Bruce said as he clapped his hands together and looked at Tony. "We're ready here so..."

"So this is where I leave," he nodded in agreement as he made to exit. "Good luck."

Neither Bruce nor Natasha responded, they both just waited until he was gone before each taking a seat.

"I had hard copies made," Bruce said, indicating the plain manila envelope in his hands. "We know digital images work but I thought you could see these better." When Natasha's only response was the slightest of nods, he continued, "These first four are parts of the image. We were hoping you might recognize them individually. That we could use these to get a better idea of what is causing these triggers." He slid the photos out onto the table, facedown, and left it up to her to reveal.

Natasha flipped them over one at a time and her expression remained blank throughout. She gave each image a long look but Bruce couldn't see any flash of awareness until the very last one was in her hands.

"I've seen this before," she said, indicating the last photo; the one of the machine. "In the rooms. I don't know exactly what they did or how they worked but... but they used them in the programming."

"What do you think it means?"

"Same thing you're thinking," she answered. "That part of the trigger was about needing to be reprogrammed."

"Nothing else?"

"Well," she sighed, wishing she did have more, "this opera house is familiar." Natasha picked up the photo of the framed photograph in the room. "Saint Petersburg, yes?"

"Mariinsky Theatre," he confirmed. "You're right. But you don't know what it could mean? What it's supposed to tell you?"

Natasha shook her head, indicating a 'no', but said quietly, "The show is over."

Bruce nodded and looked at the other photos left. The shadow and the vase of flowers. He'd done his own research, a little of it at least.

"Do you know what lavender flowers stand for?"

"I didn't know flowers had opinions," she said, obviously avoiding him.

"It's interesting," he continued, smiling slightly at her as he did so. "It can mean both devotion or distrust." Natasha shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Do you know what heather stands for?"

"Solitude," she answered immediately with icy indifference.

"Purple, yes. White actually means protection. What do you think these meant?"

"I don't know."

"Take a guess."

"If I was guessing," she sighed, disquieted by his knowledge and her own, "I would say that it was a warning. A call for protection against someone close that should not be trusted."

"How are you feeling?"

"Anxious," she admitted because it was true, as she sat up straighter and stretched her neck. Natasha didn't feel any sense of danger, like she had before, but she did feel something. It was like waiting for a storm to break. It worried her, it made her uneasy, what was to come next, but at the same time she'd rather just get on with it.

Bruce took out the last photograph, the complete picture, and slid it facedown towards her across the table.

"When you're ready."

Natasha met his eyes and nodded, prepared for the worst but when she finally flipped the image over all she felt was surprise. How did she forget that Phil had been in the picture? Had she ever really seen him properly or had she simply read the silent clues and acted?

She didn't know.

Whatever power the image had held was gone. It was as Bruce had suspected it to be. The image, no longer new to her, no longer had the same sway. 

Natasha picked the photo up and examined it closer but felt nothing like she had before. Certainly a few things tugged at her psyche, but it was the same images Bruce had just shown her. The opera house. The flowers. The machine. It was familiar and distant and altogether, this time, her attention was more on Phil than anything else.

"Is this real?" she asked and no sooner than the question slipped from her lips, she flinched. Unbidden images of Clint and the night he'd shown her this very thing were in her head. He'd asked the same thing of her never suspecting...

"Tasha?" Bruce asked cautiously.

"I'm... It's not..." she stammered, which evidently put him more at ease. Bruce put his hand over hers and waited. "I'm sorry. That's what he wanted from me. He wanted to know if I thought this was real or not and... I didn't remember that until now. Tried not to remember it at least."

"The image isn't altered," he answered after giving her another moment to pull herself together. "There's debate as to whether or not it's actually Agent Coulson in the photo."

"If it isn't him," Natasha said as she checked the image again, "it's a damn good double."

"Let's take a break," Bruce said, getting to his feet and feeling impossibly tired. "We can talk more... well, it's already morning," he said checking his watch. "We can talk more later today."

"I'm fine."

"I'm not," he said firmly. "I need a few hours of sleep and..."

Natasha nodded in understanding but was hesitant to move. She didn't want to go back to her old room. She had nowhere to go that felt safe inside the Tower.

"I have a spare room," he offered, finally understanding her reluctance. "You're welcome to it. It's not as fancy as your cell on the Helicarrier, but it's got a bed and window. How about it?"

"Thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearing the end... (kind of)

By nine o'clock the next morning practically everyone was ready to get to work.

Darcy had gotten up early, having taken a subtle hint from Pepper, and ordered a fairly large breakfast buffet, complete with good coffee, and set it up in the back of the conference room. Soon after she'd finished, Director Fury arrived with Agents Morse and Sitwell in tow. As if sensing Director Fury's presence, Agent Hill showed up next and set about helping Agent Sitwell situate himself into the Tower. After that it was a free-for-all, with Tony and Pepper arriving simultaneously, followed shortly thereafter by Steve who looked as if he'd spent the night in the gym. Bruce popped in for a moment, but left almost immediately. Natasha, and Darcy only knew she was there because of something Tony had said, didn't show at all. And, as Darcy had expected, Thor and Jane, the disgusting lovebirds, were the last to arrive and were thoroughly unrepentant.

Fury had a brief conference with his three agents present before pulling Tony and Steve aside and having a few words with them in private as well.

Then without really looking at anyone else, he left.

Darcy, having not been asked to leave, and having already been filled in on the juicy parts by Jane in private, hung out in the back of the room as everyone began talking and comparing notes. She soon realized Pepper was by her side, and giving the woman a friendly smile, turned to check the status of the coffee pot in an effort to at least appear busy.

"You're allowed to listen in, Darcy," Pepper said with a grin.

"My clearance came through already?"

"Yes, actually," Pepper answered, despite the fact that Darcy had been telling an obvious joke.

When Darcy stared at Pepper, and Pepper only stared back, completely serious, Darcy knew it was the absolute truth.

Preferring not to think about it, about the things that they had to know about her now that she'd been checked into, Darcy poured herself a cup of coffee and sauntered over to the conference table to eavesdrop more effectively now that she was officially sanctioned to do so.

She joined them just as they'd finished filling in Sitwell on all the latest information, including Tony's theory about not-dead Agent Coulson. Which led him to naturally continue on with possibly not-dead Clint.

"That's..." Sitwell said, shaking his head and leaning further back in his chair. "I get it," he assured Tony. "I do. I get why you'd go there but... but this is probably a doppelganger," he finished, motioning to the picture. "Or a really good photo shop."

"Already checked," Tony cut in, sitting on the table and eager for the other man's opinion.

"But... why?" Sitwell questioned. "I'm not saying Phil wouldn't have valuable information to any organization looking to bring down SHIELD. He would. But they couldn't have known about Loki. They couldn't have planned his fake-murder-abduction in the first place."

"Well," Morse conceded, albeit reluctantly, "Barton brought together a lot of factions prior to the assault on the Helicarrier. If one of those groups already had someone in place, they could been forewarned and seized the opportunity when Agent Coulson was wounded."

"It was more than a wound," Thor assured her. "I was witness. For him to have been of use after this abduction, they would had to have had the power to heal the Son of Coul."

"Let's move past Agent Coulson for a moment and talk about Barton," Tony pushed. 

"This is pointless speculation," Maria insisted firmly. "I was there, Tony."

"So was I," Pepper added solemnly, her eyes downcast.

"There are drugs that can simulate..." Tony said, waving a hand and all but refusing to say the word 'death'. "Dr. Foster, am I right? Tell them I'm right."

"He is," she agreed, but without sounding convinced.

"They only let the two of you back in for a few minutes," Tony continued having obviously given the whole thing a lot of thought. "And then they packed up the body and cremated it."

"Him," Maria corrected through nearly clenched teeth.

"His death was obviously set-up and planned by someone," Morse said with a reluctant nod, "but it could have just been --"

"Hold on," Steve interrupted. "Sorry. We know it was a set-up, but it wasn't the first time. His brother said something in those messages about it not going as planned, right?"

"Yes," Tony agreed enthusiastically, pulling up the texts and putting them onto the main screen. Everyone read through them, some for the second or third time. "It obviously didn't go how he'd thought it would but..."

"He only wanted him wounded but someone wanted him poisoned with that gas," Steve mused.

"If we'd have triggered that arrow outside of the lab, the whole Tower would have had to have been cleared," Tony said with a nod. "Or quarantined."

"If that arrow had been triggered inside of SHIELD..." Maria said with a far off look, knowing the situation would have been completely different.

"So," Sitwell said, trying to help put it all together, "if it had gone strictly by protocol, Clint would have waited until he was back at SHIELD to have that shoulder looked at. Medical would have gone into lockdown and it would potentially have been Clint and a few doctors and nurses locked up. The wound wasn't deadly though so..."

"They really pushed hard for surgery after the fact," Steve said with unease. "Is that normal?"

"Depends on the doctor," Sitwell shrugged. 

"If they'd have gotten him under the knife that night," Tony began, "who would have been doing the cutting?"

"I can look into that," Morse said with a nod. "While I'm at it, I'll cross check the staff on call that night with the other. I can't promise much and it could very well be the entire staff was the same. The Helicarrier doesn't have a large medical unit."

"Worth a shot," Tony shrugged.

"Do you have the names of the other potential victims?" Sitwell asked Morse directly. "I can start looking into them. Seeing if any of them could be valuable to a potential enemy. Compare how they died and when and why. Check medical around them, that sort of thing."

"Here," she said, adding a new file to the system and opening up the contents. The main screen changed to show the seventeen profiles starting with Captain Danvers and ending with Clint Barton. Each showed the basic information, including where, when and why they'd died and been cremated. Out of the group, Phil Coulson was the highest ranking; the only level seven amongst them. 

"Okay, well," Sitwell said, taking control of the files, "that's one-seven level; three-five levels; and a shitload of three-levels; plus Danvers who didn't have a SHIELD level clearance. Twelve from our division, well, what was my division," he continued to talk as he marked the profiles, "Special Operations, but it is the biggest division in SHIELD so... not sure what that says. Three from Legal and two people from Training. And again, Danvers. She was the first, right?"

"What do we know of this woman?" Thor asked thoughtfully.

"Oldest of three, born and raised in Boston," Morse answered, rattling off the information from memory. "She graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2004 and by all accounts had an exemplary career as a fighter pilot. Seven months prior to her 'accident' her brother, also an Air Force pilot, was killed in Afghanistan. She had no foreign ties and we had no reason to suspect her of, well, of anything."

"She had family," Steve questioned, still concerned and angry by that fact. "Why was she cremated?"

"The records are..." Morse started to say, but Sitwell held up a hand briefly before typing furiously and in another instant a whole new set of files appeared on screen. "How did you do that?"

"He lives to circumvent the system," Maria answered with a hint of a smile.

"I simply know where the access points are... well, weakest," Sitwell admitted with a grin.

"You would," Maria muttered, almost fondly.

"Bruce needs to see this," Tony said quietly as he briefly scanned the information. "What happened to this woman?"

"What happened is neither here nor there," Maria insisted despite her own curiosity. "We need to know why. If it all started here, we have to know why."

"The two are related," Tony argued, but not at all heated. "If we know what actually happened here we will probably learn why she was either disposed of or --"

"How?" Darcy blurted out.

Everyone turned and looked in Darcy's direction.

"She was cremated," Morse said flatly, because it was obvious and exactly what they'd been discussing.

"I know..." Darcy said, averting her eyes and brushing it off, a little embarrassed but trying hard to not let it show. She hadn't meant to shout out her question, it just kind of happened that way. "It's just... It's nothing. Forget it."

"Hey," Tony said, sweeping his arms through the room, "we can use all the help we can get here, Lewis. If you've got something to say we're all ears."

Darcy knew he was serious. She knew he'd listen, because Tony really did listen, even when it seemed like he wasn't. And as she looked around the room Darcy realized that the only person who looked even slightly annoyed or put-off by her outburst was Agent Morse. Everyone else was waiting and wanting her to finish.

"Okay," she sighed, "it's just... Look at the report," Darcy said, motioning towards the screen. "This woman was in a three-way mid-air collision with the Iron Giant and survived without a scratch. That's pretty extreme."

"We know," Morse said and Darcy got it; she hated rehashing this information that she'd likely gone over a thousand times before in her own head.

"Yeah, you do know, but I don't," Darcy returned, finding her courage. "Because... how?"

"How what?" Maria asked, clearly puzzled.

"How did they cremate a woman who seems pretty damn impervious to fire?"

Tony smiled at her before turning to face both Agent Morse and Agent Hill.

"Who else do you know that could look at these records?" Morse asked after half a beat, her whole countenance having changed from annoyed to enlightened in the blink of an eye.

Before he could answer, Maria's communicator beeped and she muttered something under her breath as she took it off her hip and checked it, catching both Steve and Jasper's attention.

"Boss calling already?" Jasper asked as Tony and Morse continued their conversation about possibly assistance outside of the group already assembled.

"I think it's fried," Maria confessed. "It keeps going off and texting random numbers."

Jasper held out his hand and she passed it off to him without complaint.

"How long now?" he asked, scrolling through the information on the screen with a frown.

"Awhile," she shrugged. "Feels like forever but I haven't kept track."

"Let me take a look at it. At the very least, if I can't fix it, I can block the transmissions."

"Thanks."

"Anything for Maria," he finished with a smile.

Maria smiled back but it faded fast. She could feel Steve's eyes on her; could sense when he'd looked away again.

Things between them felt strange.

They'd managed to remain civil to one another but Maria couldn't help but be a little bitter. True, she hadn't wanted a relationship, not with anyone and especially not with Steve, but to be told that whatever it was that had been there was mostly in her head was galling. To have imagined he'd cared for her as something more than a co-worker, something more than a friend, and to have been corrected on that assumption was embarrassing. 

She didn't know how to act around him now.

Apparently, he didn't know how to act around her either because, rather abruptly, Steve stood up and crossed the room.

"Hill," Morse called out, having just read a message on her own communicator. "Let's go. We're needed on the Helicarrier."

"Is that a good idea?" Tony asked with a slight frown.

"Why?" Steve asked at the same time.

"Debrief," Morse answered for the both of them. "Standard procedure. Agent Hill needs to give an official account of last night. Can't be avoided. Don't worry," she added, seeing the looks of concern, "Director Fury will be there. She'll be coming back."

Maria smiled cynically at that; she knew it was really about fifty-fifty if she'd be allowed to return. She had considered not going, but ultimately it would be worse if she didn't appear to comply. Maria had to trust that someone would come for her if it went poorly.

"Good luck," Pepper said earnestly and Maria's smile softened into something a little more real before she followed Morse out of the room.

Steve watched her leave, wishing once more he'd said something, and not at all surprised at the beeline Pepper made for him a moment later.

"You look tired," she said as she refilled her cup of coffee.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," he said, justifying the small lie with the fact that he didn't really need a lot of sleep any more. If Pepper knew he hadn't slept at all, she'd be worried and she already looked worried.

"I don't think anyone did," she sighed, her eyes drifting over to where Tony was talking with Jasper at the table. "I'm just glad my next conference call won't have video," she continued with a slight laugh. "You should take a break while you can. I have a bad feeling..."

"That this is just the beginning?" he finished for her. When Pepper nodded solemnly, he found himself mimicking her movement.

"I realize we don't really know a lot about them," she said, her eyes darting towards Jasper and Steve picking up her real meaning. They didn't know a lot about SHIELD. "Maybe this kind of thing happens. Maybe it's all just an.. an anomaly. Maybe..."

"No offense, but I don't agree," he interjected. "Director Fury knows something is happening. Mar-- Agent Hill," he corrected, dropping his eyes for a moment before looking back at Pepper directly, "has said there is something different about this and we have to trust that the two of them would know better than we would."

"Do you think they could be alive?" Pepper asked quietly and Steve knew she hadn't dared questioned Tony. And he understood. Tony was entirely too optimistic. He had accepted Agent Coulson's death, but somehow Clint's had never quite sunk in for him. Tony wanted it to be true so badly he was willfully overlooking everything that contradicted his theory.

Steve, while not entirely dismissing Tony's thoughts, had a different outlook.

"I think that it's possible," he admitted, "but not likely."

"But --"

"It's not that I don't agree with Tony," he said quickly. "I think that it's suspicious, all these deaths. The timing of them. I think it's possible they were even kept alive for some time for questioning or... or..." he trailed off, not wanting to say 'torture' but she heard it all the same. "But, Pepper, whoever did this went out of their way to ensure that everyone else thought that all these people were dead. That has to mean that they weren't meant to be released. They're not bargaining with them; there's no random or demands being made. I think they're getting whatever it is they need and then..."

Pepper sighed and dropped her head for a moment, shutting her eyes and finally nodding in agreement. It wasn't what she wanted to hear, but she was grateful he'd said it. For awhile she'd begun to set her hopes too high. Pepper had to resign herself back to reality and it shown clearly on her face the moment she had.

Steve knew exactly how that felt.


	9. Chapter 9

Several things happened during the day. 

The first was that they'd decided, as a group, to tell Natasha everything that they'd discovered without discussing individual theories. As adamant that Tony had become in believing that Coulson, and possibly Clint, were alive, they decided to let her draw her own conclusions and to let Bruce lay it all out for her to do so. She'd already seen the picture of Phil; for all they knew she was already drawing her own conclusions about Clint.

The second thing decided on was exactly who to consult with about Captain Danvers. Tony did have several contacts he thought might have some valuable insight, but ultimately he pushed for Dr. Betty Ross. Bruce had agreed to go over them himself, but he understood why they wanted Betty involved, it was practically her specialty. He didn't want to agree, but he did. 

Tony also put out feelers to Rhodey, to see if maybe they'd missed something in Danvers's military career, but it ended up being kind of a pointless endeavor. Everything was as Morse said it would be, squeaky clean.

After Jasper had tracked down every spare bit of data on all the potential victims, there wasn't much more to do. He had laid out all the information like a puzzle on a smart board, but no one could make any significant connection between any of the agents, aside from Coulson and Barton. Out of all the victims, only Barton's death appeared to be a set-up, which only added to the mystery. Everyone else had died as a part of an accident or some other real incident that appeared uncontrived.

Tony, Jasper, Steve and Thor were all still gathered in the conference room, staring at the information by the time evening rolled around, trying to make sense of it all.

"Okay," Tony said with a heavy sigh, "if the training accident with Danvers started this, what happened after Coulson that made them take Barton?"

"Maybe it was what happened to Coulson," Jasper offered, giving Maria's communicator another thoughtful look as it beeped again. He'd been working on it on and off throughout the day with little success; running basic diagnostics but not much more. "We've pretty much agreed that Fury not following the Council's orders set some kind of warning bells off for the WSC. They really wanted to make those weapons."

"We can assume that by now they know how SHIELD works," Steve added.

"Especially since they seem to be a part of SHIELD," Jasper said.

"Yeah, so... Maybe they went for Barton because he knew how we operated," Steve finished with a shrug.

The all let it sink in for a moment, considering the idea. The assumption had been that they'd been taking out those closest to Fury, but that only worked with some of the agents killed. 

"Maybe they've been narrowing in," Tony suggested, knowing it was a long shot. "They took a few from this place, a few from that place," he finished, highlight names as he spoke. "Until they decided where they needed to be and who they needed to go after."

"Then we need to discover who they view as a threat and why," Thor said firmly, in a tone that brooked no argument.

"I don't see how," Jasper said, shaking his head and looking exhausted.

"Until they come out of the shadows," Steve said with a shrug, "neither do I."

Before Tony could comment, Maria's communicator beeped again, indicating a new message, before buzzing to life with a connected call.

"She'd probably want me to answer this," Jasper half-asked, half-stated as he hesitantly pressed the correct button and stood up to cross the room for a bit more privacy. "Um, this is Agent Sitwell... Agent Hill is... Hello? Hello? Huh. It got disconnected," he finished, taking a seat and giving the communicator a different kind of look. "It shouldn't have done that."

"I didn't want to be the one to say this but your tech sucks," Tony said with a grin. "Except the tech you still from me, of course."

"Of course," Jasper returned with a hint of a smile, flipping the device over. "Do you think you could help me pry this thing open? Take a look inside?"

"Yeah," Tony said as if it was obvious, getting to his feet and motioning for Jasper to follow him. "Let's take a break first. Get some dinner, then we'll crack that sucker open in my workshop. What do you say? Good."

They all headed up to the kitchen where they were surprised to find Maria and Morse back in the Tower and talking with Pepper. Maria didn't seem to want to discuss what had happened during the day, despite Tony's endless prying, but otherwise the meal was pleasant.

"Question," Jasper said as they finished up, turning his eyes to Maria. "How's this thing been working for you outside of the random nonsense it's spewing?"

"Fine," Maria shrugged with a look of disquiet. "Why?"

"No dropped calls? Garbled messages? Nothing like that?"

"No."

"All right," Tony said, setting down his drink before stretching into a yawn. "I can take a hint."

"No, you can't," Pepper laughed.

"This time I can," he returned with a smile. "Let's go see what's wrong."

"With my communicator?" Maria asked, getting to her feet as well and following Tony and Jasper out of the door. "I thought it was some kind of joke?"

"Maybe," Jasper said tentatively.

"You think it's something else?" she asked.

"I think we need to see what's inside," he returned, furrowing his brow as he spoke. "Something might be jamming the signal."

"Okay," Tony said, holding out his hand and once he had the communicator, easily popping it apart under the magnified light of one of his workstations. "Let us see, let us see... and what's this?"

"That is not standard," Jasper confirmed, handing Tony a pair of tweezers.

"What is that?" Maria asked aghast.

"Hell if I know," Tony admitted as he carefully removed the small, silver sliver of device that had been implanted in the communicator, "but I am going to find out."

As Tony turned and got to work studying the device, Jasper fit the communicator back together and began to scroll back through the previous messages.

"Stark, you mind if I use this?" he asked, pointing at the nearest computer.

"Knock yourself out," he returned, focused on the task at hand. "What the hell is this thing?" he muttered to himself as he continued to scrutinize the device.

"It was scrambling your messages," Jasper said to Maria, flipping through them and displaying them on screen for her to see. "You had a call come through that was disconnected earlier. The phone number didn't show up before but... Maria, what is all this?"

Maria was staring at the numbers sequences on the screen and shaking her head. Over and over were the same two alpha-numeric sets. Jasper had pushed the entire string along with the phone numbers they'd come from, which she had previously been unable to view, onto the projector screen for them both to see. They'd started from various area codes and numbers before gradually settling into one region; the last of them all originating from the same line. She'd been receiving them for a little over a month now but she still didn't quite believe it.

"This isn't anything I've seen before," Tony admitted, his eyes still on the device they'd pulled from the communicator. "This is very advanced stuff. Is this even metal? I think it is..." he continued, unaware of what was happening around him.

"Maria?" Jasper prodded, still looking at her as her expression went through a myriad of changes.

"Oh my God," she said softly.

"What'd I miss?" Tony asked, turning in his chair; his eyes darting from Maria, to Jasper, and then to the screen.

Maria took hold of the nearest laser pointer, and starting at the top, began going down the list.

"Barton. Barton. Coulson. Barton. Coulson. Coulson. Barton. Coulson. Coulson. Barton. Barton. Barton. Barton. Coulson. Barton. Barton," she said, shaking her head and growing angrier with every utterance. "Fuck," she shouted at the end, tossing the pointer aside. "The last one is Barton again."

"The last one what?" Tony asked confused by her outburst.

"They're distress codes," Maria said, jabbing a finger at the screen. "Personal distress codes. Pick-up calls. If a mission goes belly up, these are last resorts. They are only used if there is no other way for an agent to safely get out."

Jasper looked up at the screen and shook his head.

"Maria, they can't --"

"I know the codes," Maria said sharply, cutting Jasper off. "They're from their last mission together. But that... that was a long time ago. Holy shit."

"Who else had them?" Tony asked.

"Agents pick their own codes," Jasper answered for her, shaking his head and staring up at the screen. "Only the Director and the Deputy know what they are exactly along with anyone pertinent to the mission."

"And you're positive?"

"Yes," Maria nodded, her eyes fixed on his. "Of course I am. That's... Where are these coming from?"

"JARVIS," Tony called out, "the phone numbers on the screen. Track them."

_"At once, sir. Would you like it displayed on a map?"_

"Yes," all three of them answered as one.

"And ask Steve, Bruce, and Thor to join us," Tony added. "Quick."

"What about Agent Morse?" Sitwell asked quietly.

"Yeah, Morse too," Tony reluctantly agreed.

_"I have the information ready, sir,"_ JARVIS replied, displaying the map on the screen next to the numbers.

They were all looking it over when the rest of the group arrived, including Natasha. 

Natasha took one look at the screen, at the numbers, and shook her head.

"What has happened?" Thor asked, giving Natasha a thoughtful glance before turning his attention towards Tony.

"Someone scrambled Hill's communicator," Tony answered. "We unscrambled it and got this."

"What is that?" Steve asked not liking the look on anyone's face. Maria looked angry. Tony was a little too excited. Jasper was confused. And Natasha... Natasha appeared almost anxious. Almost.

"You recognize them?" Maria asked Natasha directly.

When she nodded, Jasper asked, "They told you themselves or..."

"They told me," she answered. "I was on that mission. Those numbers were never written down. Not by... not by us. Not between us."

"So they're real?" Tony inquired, hating to do so but he had to be certain. When she nodded again, he continued. "Does Minnesota have any special charm for you?"

Natasha hesitated this time, but after a pause, she shook her head.

The trail of phone calls started about a month prior in Canada before trickling down into the United States, into Minnesota more precisely, and finally centering around one location. The last four calls, including the hang-up, had all originated from the same number and, using cell towers, they had fixated an exact spot.

"Wait," Bruce said, having caught up on his own. "Are we serious? Is this... Are we serious?"

"You think these are messages from the dead?" Thor asked, having figured a large part of it out for himself as well.

"No," Steve dismissed almost out of hand.

"Not from the dead," Tony returned.

"Those distress codes," Morse said, shaking her head, "no one else has them."

"Let's go," Tony urged. "We need to check this out. Right now."

"No," Steve and Maria said at the same time.

"I need to check these out," Maria insisted, her stance rigid and her arms crossed. "These were sent to me; to SHIELD. I need to look into them. It's my responsibility."

"No," Steve said, shaking his head. "Absolutely not. If anyone goes in, it's us."

"If?" Tony questioned disbelievingly, throwing his hands up as he did so.

"Steve," Bruce tried, having not seen him this worked up over anything.

"No," Steve persisted without looking away from Maria. "I'm tired of chasing this thing. We'll go in, but we'll do this the right way. With a real plan and with real thought."

"They're distress calls," Maria argued. "There isn't time --"

"They've been sent out now for the past month," Steve fired back at her, pointing to the screen for emphasis. "A few hours more won't make a difference."

"This is not your call," she said, her voice steadily rising.

"I'm making it my call because apparently I'm the only one here who's thinking clearly," he snapped back at her. "Has no one else thinks that this might be a set-up? That this is just another way to take one or more of us out?"

"Do what you like," Maria returned, having regained control of her emotions. "We're going."

Jasper and Morse exchanged a look, but didn't speak. No one spoke as Maria and Steve glared at one another, almost daring each other to make the first move.

"How about we..." Bruce suggested, pointing at the door and motioning to everyone around him with a fairly vague gesture.

"Are you kidding?" Tony asked, because this he had to see. 

"We'll be in the conference room," Morse said, agreeing with Bruce and taking Tony by the elbow, half dragging him from the room. Tony complained the entire way out the door, but did relent.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Maria asked as soon as they were alone.

"Doing what?"

"Undermining my position," she answered curtly, crossing her arms again and squaring off against him.

"I'm not undermining anything," he argued, forcing his own hands to his side but unable to keep his hands unclenched. 

"You are."

"I'm not," he shot back at her.

"Those messages were sent to me," she pushed back at him, jabbing a finger in his direction. "They are my responsibility. I'm the one who... I'm the one who let this go. I need to fix it."

"I understand why," he reasoned, and he really meant it, "but just consider what I'm saying."

"No one else knew those codes. They're real."

"No one else was supposed to know Natasha's triggers, either."

Maria paused, and Steve finally felt like he'd gotten through to her.

"What are you saying then?" she asked after a pause as her shoulders dropped half an inch.

"You told me that work was the only way to get to you," Steve finally said after carefully weighing his words.

"They've already tried."

"And we all agreed it was a lame attempt," he said, unable to keep himself from smiling just a little bit. "You've been getting these messages for over a month. Maybe they thought you'd unscramble them sooner. Maybe they didn't know they were being scrambled. Maybe it took too long so they sent some guy as a last ditch effort. But I have to think, and you need to consider, that this is how they've come for you."

Maria looked at him and wanted to disagree. Maybe she just wanted to think this was all so easily fixable. That it was like a mission gone bad and she could swoop in and pick up her missing agents.

"Everyone knows how serious you take your position," Steve continued in a calmer, softer voice. "How dedicated you are to your job. You personally leading this mission would be an easy assumption for anyone to make."

"I'm an open book," Maria said, but it wasn't in the same tone he'd used.

"No," he disagreed. "You're definitely not, but you are dependable."

"All right, Captain," she said, shaking her head but resolved. "What do you suggest?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more to go!


	10. Chapter 10

Halfway through the planning stage Natasha realized that Steve didn't intend for her to go along. She understood why he wanted only a small group to go, but her exclusion was unacceptable.

Stark and Sitwell had already pulled satellite images on the location where the last calls had originated with more precision. They were nearly done, deciding who would be where and exactly how they'd engage the target, but it was entirely unacceptable to Natasha.

"I'm going," she said, interrupting Steve mid-sentence.

When he didn't immediately contradict her Natasha began to think he would agree, that is until Steve looked at Bruce.

"Tasha," he said, keeping his voice low, "are you certain?"

Natasha knew Bruce, and knew that was as argumentative as he would be, but it still stung. He should know already that she didn't only want to go, she had to go. 

When she didn't answer, only met his gaze with steady defiance, Bruce shrugged and Steve nodded his acceptance, and out of the group only Maria looked ready to continue objecting but didn't.

"Natasha," Steve continued, "I'd like you to stay on the jet with Agent Morse until we get confirmation."

"So you're going to leave all the women behind?" Morse asked, with more than a hint of derisiveness in her voice.

"No," Steve returned evenly, "Agent Hill is going to make the initial contact."

"She's not qualified," Morse immediately argued, shocked by the suggestion. "She's not a field agent."

She wasn't the only one shocked. Maria looked surprised as well, but not entirely in a bad way.

"Whoever is sending these messages is expecting her," Steve returned, still completely neutral in tone and manner.

"And if it is a set-up?" Jasper asked, but his tone wasn't angry, it was concerned. And not for the first time did Steve wonder how close their relationship was, but quickly put it out of his mind as a petty concern. 

"I'll be armed," Maria assured Jasper, who seemed to accept her answer as good enough.

"And you won't be alone," Steve added. "Tony will have scanned the area, so we'll already know what their numbers will be. I'll be on hand if things go badly and it turns into a fight."

"I should be there," Thor insisted. "I will wait back with the others, if that is your wish, but if this is a fight, I wish to fight it with you."

"A little more back-up couldn't hurt," Tony said when Steve looked his way for an opinion.

"A little?" Thor asked with a slight smile.

"Okay," Steve agreed, but still wanting to keep the force as small as possible.

"I can monitor the comms from here," Jasper assured him. "If it goes belly-up, I'll call in SHIELD for reinforcements."

"Bruce, buddy, you sure you don't want to ride along?" Tony asked, tapping the man playfully on the shoulder. 

"I'm positive," he answered. "I've got some test results to run through. Plenty to keep me busy here."

Steve and Tony both knew it was a lie, but it was a little one. Whenever Bruce stayed behind on a mission, if possible, he listened in on the comms just in case.

Ten minutes later they were on their way.

As usual, Morse flew but this time Natasha sat in the co-pilot seat.

Maria tried not to fidget, despite her nerves. She had no problem with confrontation. She had no problem addressing the unknown. However, the idea of an actual firefight breaking out around her, of an ambush, was jarring. Maria had training, she'd been shot at and had shot back at enemies before, but this felt different. Those times had been unexpected. Maria was walking into this one willingly.

"How'd today go?" Tony asked, and Maria guessed he was trying to help distract her from herself. That and he was insanely inquisitive. "You never said. I mean, you made it back so I guess they believed you, right?"

"I didn't lie," Maria answered. "Of course they believed me."

"What did they say about your damsel in distress act?" Tony asked with a smirk.

"Excuse me," Steve said, standing abruptly and moving to the front of the jet.

Tony turned and watched him leave, but Thor paid him no mind.

Maria kept her own eyes on the floor and tried to ignore the fact that the very next place Stark looked was at her.

"Maria?" Tony pressed.

"I didn't have to explain it," Maria admitted. "They didn't ask. They only wanted to know how I evaded the man and if I'd noticed anything unusual. It was all very routine."

"Five minutes," Morse said over the intercom letting them know they were close.

Steve walked back and retook his seat as everyone prepared for landing. Maria tried to push down her nerves. She also tried to ignore the way Tony kept looking between herself and Steve, like he was already putting a story together in his head. 

If Stark even remotely guessed that Maria had been developing irrational feelings -- which she hadn't -- towards Steve, or anyone for that matter, he'd never let it go. Stark was an overgrown child who would tease and question and poke and prod with unrelenting mercilessness. Maria was already frustrated with herself for allowing her own feelings to go unchecked. She didn't need a constant reminder.

It had been stupid to hope, to think for even a moment, that Steve might be inclined to feel the same. In a lot of ways she was happier for knowing where she stood. Maybe happier wasn't an exact description, but she hoped to be. It would, eventually, make things easier between them. When they'd talked about relationships, especially working relationships, months back it was in very broad terms and Maria had let Steve know exactly how she felt about them in an effort to squash her own feelings. It hadn't worked. She wished it had. 

Hearing how he didn't view her in that light would have been easier to take if it had.

Granted, he hadn't actually said those things, but Steve had said enough. Maria knew the drill. And not for the first time Maria knew she should be relieved, but she wasn't.

There wasn't time to continue to berating herself, they'd arrived.

The first thing they did was let Thor provide them some cover. It was risky, because it wouldn't just limit their potential enemies visibility, but their own. However, the risk was worth the reward. Iron Man was too easy to spot and, if it came down to it, so was Captain America. A little rain and lightning went a long way.

Tony took off next, promising to make a wide arc and stay as much out of sight as possible while scanning the area.

After a few minutes of radio silence, Tony came online saying, "Looks pretty empty. Got a house just over the ridge that I'm guessing is our place. Looks like there are two occupants."

"Are you ready?" Steve asked Maria directly.

Instinctively she checked her sidearm before giving him a nod and without anyone else saying a single word, they were off.

"It's about a hundred and fifty yards up the path," Tony informed them. "I'm hanging out overhead. Holler if you need me."

"Copy that," Steve returned as they got underway.

They walked in absolute silence, careful to keep their distance and avoid accidentally brushing together their arms or hands in any way. Neither of them used to mind much if that had happened before but now it seemed to matter.

"There's an incline," Tony informed them. "From the top you'll have a clear view of the house. Be ready."

"Okay," Steve said, turning and stopping. "I'll head into the brush. They should probably see you alone. If no one approaches, keep going and I'll follow."

"Got it."

"Good," he said without moving. 

Steve continued to stand there, looking at her as if he had more to say, but without saying anything. Maria looked up at him and almost immediately looked away.

"Good," he repeated, this time with a nod. He brought his hands up and let them hover over her shoulders for a split second before pulling back and away. "I'll see you soon."

Maria took a deep breath and watched him move away before turning and continuing down the path on her own. She was halfway there when Tony cut in.

"Got movement. I think you've been spotted, Hill. Looks like one of them is moving to the front of the house and the other has slipped out the back."

"Hold your position," Steve urged, "but keep them in sight."

"Roger, Rogers," Tony returned.

When both Maria and Steve got a little closer, the house went entirely dark. Not liking that one bit, Steve moved quickly from cover and joined Maria as they picked up their pace.

"A little help, Stark," Steve called out. "Where is this guy?"

"Still inside."

"The other guy," Maria snapped, the rain was coming down heavier than before.

Tony said something, but it was unintelligible over the din of the storm. Steve asked him to repeat it, but to no avail. He knew asking Thor to reign in the storm would be pointless, so he didn't bother trying. They asked for this so now they'd have to work with it.

Maria and Steve stopped on the porch and both drew their weapons ready to enter.

Before they could, shots rang out and the both ducked down on either side of the door. Waiting for a pause, for the combative to stop and reload, Steve stood up and kicked in the door, pressing forward into the house to find a better vantage. Maria was right behind him, picking a spot directly across from his own.

More shots were fired and they knew that whoever it was, they were nearby.

"Hold your fire!" Maria shouted, making brief eye contact with Steve. "We want to talk."

When there was no answer, but also no return fire, Maria took it as an invitation to continue.

"Who are you?" she asked, careful to keep her body tucked behind the wall and not give them an opportunity.

"Agent Hill?" a voice, raspy from neglect, asked with some amount of authority.

Maria thought she recognized it, despite the condition. Locking eyes with Steve she could tell that he did too.

"Identify yourself," Steve demanded.

"I'm putting down my weapon," the man continued, clearing his throat and making his voice even more recognizable.

They heard the weapon when it touched the ground and a moment later it slid into view, just between where the two of them were still crouched. Steve continued to look her in the eye, making it Maria's decision. When she bobbed her head slightly, he returned the gesture and together they stood up, guns still drawn, to see what they were facing.

They weren't really prepared.

"I see you got our message," Agent Coulson said with a wry smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where I apologize profusely because, despite all my best efforts, I'm still only like two chapters into the next one so I will not be posting it any time soon. Keep in mind, this may change. As soon as I have enough to feel comfortable posting, I will, but right now I can't. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing and genuinely being super great and supportive of this series. I love you all! It will continue. I will keep at it and this will be done... one way or another. Thank you!


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